He shrugs. “Possibly. Everyone in the palace learns basic reading and writing from the same tutor. I’m not an expert, but it seems like it’d be pretty easy to fake.”I nod slowly. A new king—a new leader is susceptible to attacks from all sides. Several of Father’s advisors have pulled me aside alre
AnwenThree days later—four, if you count the fact Estrella and I didn’t go back to her palace until morning—I lean over the bow of The Lady Suniva and watch the towers of Solberg Castle rise over the horizon.Baz claps me on the shoulder. “Someday, I’ll get you back for only staying a day in that p
“No, there isn’t.” I lean my shoulder against hers. The rocking of the boat might’ve pushed us together. “Are you ready?”She chuckles nervously. “It may be a bit late for that as well.”The tattoo on my finger catches the light. “We hid our marks for weeks.”“No.” She shakes her head resolutely. “I
EstrellaQueen Raven raises a slow hand to cover her face. King Kieran’s sharp mouth turns down slightly at the corners. My pulse beats a warning in my ears. I trust Anwen. I want to trust Anwen. The stories he tells make far more sense with the woman who found me at the top of the dungeon stairs. B
“Our father—”“Is dead,” Anwen says coldly. “A devastating loss, and one I intend to revenge as much as I can. What does that have to do with our relationship?”“You were involved!” Castor bellows, his hand going to his sword.Anwen tenses. My heart leaps into my throat. They are going to fight, and
AnwenKieran leans back in the chair at his desk. “To get the sort of turnout the two of you are looking for, I’ve scheduled the wedding for the next full moon.”I suck in a deep breath and rub the pale tattoo on my pinkie. “Three weeks?”“I know.” He shrugs. “But everyone just went home after the p
“It might,” I grumble.But the place it’ll get us is having to clean the whole room back up or ask one of the staff to do it. It’s the easy way.“Fuck, all right. Where haven’t we looked?” I ask.He stares around the room for a moment. “Top of the canopy?”“Stupid place to keep something.”Baz shimm
Estrella“Thank you,” I murmur as one of the Dun’s Crossing seamstresses pins another fold of my skirt in place.After a few days of what Tess deemed arguing, though I would more rightly call it standing my ground, the flock of women assigned to make my wedding dress have finally understood that I w
My quill flows across the page, writing down every word of the story. Mother’s voice rings in my ears, soft over familiar phrases. When I’m done, I don’t read it over. I’ll just crumple it up if I do. But I scribble one last thing at the end.Even if the tower never falls….Seconds tick away as I st
HollisI’m a moron. Worse than that, I’m insane. That’s what Mother said when she found out I’d stuck my tongue to the frozen pole outside of the kitchen three times in a week and basically skinned the damn thing every time. But every time, I thought it would be like in a story Eva and I read, where
“I want something more active,” I say. “Like you. I want to… I don’t know… make something?”“Easy.” Ingrid claps her hands together. “Have you ever done any fine arts? Drawing, painting, sculpting?”I shake my head. Yet another class Mother thought was filling my head up with nonsense.“Okay. I know
CandaceI’m sitting at the dressing table, fixing my hair for the first time in days, when a bird starts singing right outside my tent. An ash warbler. For the third time since sunset yesterday. I almost smile.When it first happened, I made Ingrid go check. We were way outside of where the warbler
‘Catch me if you can!’ she calls through the mind-link.In wolf form, I can’t give her the necklace if I want to. I stuff her clothes and mine in her sewing bag, then shift and give chase.Escuro flies by. I barely notice it. My attention remains locked on Eva’s bright-red tail disappearing between
HollisMy plan to act like I actually believe Eva is going to be my wife is going great—except for the fact that I basically haven’t slept since I started it because my mark hurts so Goddess-damned bad. That’ll fade. I know it will. Because I do believe Eva’s going to be my wife. It’s what everyone
Outside the tent, someone makes the tiniest whimper I’ve ever heard. My heart squeezes.“They can come in, but no lights.” I sit up. “And don’t ask, please.”Ingrid nods and starts to turn away, but her gaze locks on mine. She’s noticed. Of course. Every muscle in my body tenses.She turns back for
CandaceFor the third morning in a row, I pull my covers over my head as lunch approaches and rub eyes gritty from crying.Well, not exactly the third morning in a row. The very next day, I tried. I got up, made myself beautiful even as Ingrid fluttered around me, saying I didn’t have to go out if I
Not that I’m keeping track. I, in fact, am doing the exact opposite. I’ve been so caught up in her that I’ve been neglecting my responsibilities. Even if she’s not the person I’m going to spend my life with, I still believe in her dream. There’s just no reason for her to lie, or to seem so scared if