Page 197 of The Throne Seeker

Her mind raced. The castle wasn’t safe. Her mother wasn’t safe. No one was safe. She had to go back. She had to warn them.

She released her siren’s grip. “Thank you.”

Moretti blinked as she retreated from his mind, giving him back to himself. He gasped in a small breath. He read her fearful expression. “You know this woman?”

She didn’t answer, her mind working overtime.

“Draya?”

“My name is not Draya,” she admitted. “It’s Rosalie Versalles.”

His eyes widen with fear. “Tell me you’re lying.”

She blinked at him in response.

His mouth fell open. “You’reRosalie? Tristan was the previous suitor you mentioned before? You’re the throne seeker?”

Apparently, court gossip had spread to the capital. She shouldn’t have been surprised. “It’s not my favorite title, but yes.”

Moretti stepped forward, grabbing her lightly by the shoulders. “Does anyone know you’re here?”

“No, no one… besides my companion.” She shouldn’t have told him that bit.

“Who?”

She hesitated, but she felt like she owed it to him to be honest. “Prince Roman.”

His face hardened into ice. “Was he the man in the tent?” Moretti clenched his fists.

She nodded weakly.

His lips curled up into a snarl. “Damn you. Why didn’t you tell me the truth?”

“Why should I have? I didn’t know you. I had no idea what you were like,” she said, defending herself.

“This was your plan all along, wasn’t it? The Snorri, the conversation we had at the tavern. You had no interest in me. You just wanted to use me.”

Her eyes lowered with guilt. “I’m sorry. I had no idea that you would be?—”

“Be what? A human being?”

“Kind,” she corrected, looking back up.

He sneered at her, betrayed. “A trait I reserved only for you. But now I see I was mistaken.”

“I’m sorry.” It surprised her how much she cared. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“Just use me.”

She took a few steps back, bumping into a chair. “I’m sorry. I’ll go.”

Moretti stopped her by grabbing her arm. “I need to know—was any of it real? And damn it, tell me the truth. I deserve that, at least.”

“Yes. Everything I told you about my feelings was true.” The powder had confirmed her statement, even if he didn’t know that. “But then after that… things changed.”

He took her answer with a grain of salt. “You can’t go back to the castle. If those men are searching for you, you need to run like hell.”

She wouldn’t cower away. “No. I have to warn them. My mother is there.”