40

The blood drained from my face. Poisoned. So that was why Barion had insisted I not touch the blade. I simply thought it was the weapons safety he’d drilled into me since I was a little girl. But no —it was poisoned, and he hadn’t told me. I hadn’t intended to kill her, just stop her—but would I have killed her with the blade alone if I’d had to?

Yes, I realized. I would’ve done whatever it took to protect myself. My wolf and I were aligned in that way. Her instincts had pushed me to carry the knife with me, and if I hadn’t listened, my attacker would’ve torn out my throat without remorse.

“I was attacked without provocation,” I said. I met the king’s gaze steadily. “She tried to kill me. I defended myself.”

“A guest of my court cannot be carrying weapons like that,” the king said. “A scuffle should not result on the death of a wolf.”

“A scuffle?” I balked. “She tried to kill me! If I hadn’t defended myself—”

“A wolf should always defend herself,” the king said. “If a wolf threatens you, meet them as a wolf.”

Anger flared in me. I had just been attacked for no reason in the king’s own manor, and somehow I was the one who was in trouble? “Oh, forgive me for not adhering to the Nightfall code of contact for unexpected life-or-death battles in the library,” I snapped. “Perhaps you should go over those rules with your guests before you send assassins or jealous girlfriends to pick us off.” “Lady Reyna!” Glennis hissed.

I didn’t care if it was rude. The king wasn’t going to kill me—but maybe this would be the thing that finally made him send me home. Whatever mysteries Efra had to offer, it wasn’t worth risking my life.

The king bared his teeth. His wolf surged to the surface; his eyes gleamed golden as his canines elongated in a sudden show of dominance. He didn’t shift, but the closeness of it made my own wolf whine and cower internally. The memory of his wolf form in the ballroom, sniffing me carefully, made my nape prickle.

“You speak treason,” he snarled around the shape of his fangs. “I would never endanger you.”

My wolf whined again, begging me to back down, but I was too frustrated to listen to her. It felt like all he’d done was endanger me!

“If I’m speaking treason and unintentionally breaking rules,” I said curtly, “perhaps it’s best if you just dismiss me back to Daybreak.”

“Your Highness—” Lady Glennis started, but the king simply held up his hand.

“I have my reasons for keeping you in this competition, Lady Reyna,” the king growled. He turned suddenly to Lady Glennis and Roth. “You’re dismissed,” he said curtly.

“Shall I escort the Lady Reyna to her quarters?” Glennis asked.

“That’s not necessary,” the king said.

Lady Glennis fixed me with a cold, serious glare, and then the two of them left the study. The door closed, and the air in the room suddenly felt tense and heavy around me. I squirmed in my chair, itching to run after Glennis and go hide in my own quarters.

“We’re not finished here,” the king said. His wolf had withdrawn, but his attention still kept me pinned in place.

“I don’t see what else there is to discuss,” I said.

“The dead wolf is Rona.”

It was as if he’d dumped ice water over my head. The chill ran from the crown of my head all the way to my feet. Part of me had known it the entire time, though—my wolf had recognized her from her shift in the arena. But I’d denied it, avoiding that truth because it was too painful to face. I knew Rona didn’t like me, and I was used to that. I was used to being disliked. But hated so intensely she wanted to kill me? What had I done to deserve that?

I slumped forward and stared into the basin of dirtied water. Dirtied with Rona’s blood. “Why?” I asked. “Why would she attack me?”

The king tilted his head. “What?”

“I haven’t done anything to her,” I said. “I’ve been nothing but nice. I realized she didn’t like me, but—”

“Really?” the king asked. He looked halfway between distressed and amused. “You don’t understand?”

“No!” I nearly threw my hands up over my head. “No, Your Majesty, forgive me for not understanding why I just got nearly mauled to death in the midst of the Choice.”

“You’re her only competition,” the king said, like this was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Fina and Adora are better suited for the role than I am. They’re the true competition.” I was so caught up in the confusion and horror of what had happened I briefly forgot that I was speaking to the king himself. Then I snapped my jaw shut, and glanced up with wide-eyed horror.

A small, bemused smile played on his face. It wasn’t quite as smirky as the expression I was used to, but it didn’t look angry. Despite the fact that I’d just called him ridiculous to his face.

“They are suited for the role, of course,” the king said. “Any woman sent by a court would be. But I need a queen who can fight by my side, not a lady more interested in fashion, socializing… Womanly things.”

“Those ‘womanly things’ are what keep a court running,” I said. “You and I both know perfectly well that Fina or Adora would make an excellent queen, especially if you want the rest of Frasia to trust you to lead. What you call ‘fashion’ and ‘socializing,’ a queen calls ‘trade’ and ‘diplomacy.’” I shook my head.