Page 160 of Taste of Thorns

He shuffles on his feet and runs his hand through his hair. “It’s known that the Empress has a son. That she has several children, all by different powerful shadow weavers in the realm. Like all her children, I’m not acknowledged publicly. We’re not seen together.”

“That sounds … really fucked up. Why wouldn’t she acknowledge her son?”

Beaufort smiles, but it seems a little fragile to me. “To keep me safe.”

Something tells me Beaufort doesn’t entirely believe that, but I see the sadness in his eyes and I don’t push it.

My eyes narrow at Thorne and Dray. “Is the Empress also your mom?” I ask them both.

I thought their nickname – the Princes – was just some obnoxious label created to suit the size of their egos. Was I wrong?

“No,” Thorne says, “only Beaufort among us is royalty.”

Beaufort throws his friend a withering look.

“Then why the name?” I point out.

Beaufort ruffles his hand through his hair a little sheepishly. “Some dick once made the comment that we walk around as if we have crowns on our heads – so we embraced it and …”

Hmmm, turns out I was right. Ego-driven. I roll my eyes.

“Does Henrietta know?”

“Does Henrietta know?” Dray repeats, snorting. “Why do you think she’s so determined to sink her claws into Beau?”

“Why didn’t you tellme?” I ask Beaufort. All those secrets I’ve revealed to him. All those times I’ve been at my most vulnerable. I thought we’d built a trust. And all the time he’d kept this hidden from me. “I thought I knew who you were, Beaufort, but you’ve been lying to me all along.”

“I never lied.”

“You never told me the truth either.”

“You’ve kept secrets too, Briony.”

I hold out my hands. “You know all my secrets, Beaufort. There’s nothing I’m left hiding. How about you? Are you betrothed to some princess?” My eyes widen in horror. “Are you betrothed to Henrietta Smyte?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“But you didn’t step up to tell your mother – the Empress!” I say in disbelief, “– that I’m your fated mate. She just thinks I’m your thrall. Is it because she’ll disapprove? She won’t want her son cavorting with Slate scum?!”

“Briony, you can wield light. You have a dragon!”

“And if I didn’t? If I couldn’t?”

“It wouldn’t matter.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’ll tell her right now, if it’ll make you happy. I’ll tell the whole world.”

I shake my head. “I thought I knew who you were.”

“You do. It’s still me. I haven’t changed.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me?” I ask again.

“Because you already hated me!” he snaps and I stare at him aghast. “You hated what I was, what I stood for. You think I couldn’t see it? Damn, Briony, you told me enough times. If you knew who I really was, you’d hate me even more.”

I can’t deny it. I did hate him. I despised him. Because of what he was. His kind killed my sister – or so I believed. They were all evil, all corrupt, all out for themselves.