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“Of course I want that.”
Alisdair looked me in the eye. “Then, how do you intend to wrest power away from the cruel, uncaring hands of your fathers, sons, husbands, and brothers, if not through war?”
I met his gaze unflinchingly. “The same way I’ll wrest it from you, but don’t worry, husband. That’s the gift of mothers, daughters, wives, and sisters. We don’t need war to bring a man to his knees.”
“Is that so?”
The grins reflected in each other’s eyes were absolutely feral.
I blinked and Alisdair was behind me. A warm hand snaked around my waist, pulling me close—drawing me into his heat—and every muscle in my body went rigid... because of what was in his other hand.
“Do demonstrate that for me, Princess.” He pressed the tip of my stolen dagger to my heart. “Bring me to my knees. Make me surrender.” Alisdair licked the shell of my ear, then bit down, making me moan. A moan I’d swear on my life was no more than a gasp. “Keep in mind that my strike will hit true if you succeed. Or if you fail,” he mused. “I haven’t decided which I desire more.”
I grasped his wrist and pushed it away. He let me. “The true fun is in not knowing when it’s coming, husband dear. Although, I can promise you that the day is coming soon when I make you the fool. You’ll be the one watching everything and everyone you love ripped away, and all your plans for the future crumble to dust. On that day, you’ll wish you hadn’t underestimated the power of a quick and clever little bird.”
“You misunderstand me greatly, my queen.” Alisdair’s nose traced a design on my cheek, sending my head spinning. I couldn’t breathe without drowning in his spicy, sweet scent. I couldn’t move captured in his hold. “It is not you I underestimate.”
Alisdair waved his hand and a tiny, cheeping golden bird appeared on his palm. Sunlight glinted through feathers so lovely I could weep.
“But the question is this: how grand and mighty can any creature be—” Golden rods burst out of his palm and clamped around the bird—weaving, locking, and interlocking as it screeched. “—when its weakness is a small cage.”
I tore away from him, a million heated replies launching to my lips, but nothing coming out.
“Your obedience is taken, but your fire is surrendered.”
Mama’s words echoed in my head, along with my usual replies. They were eerily similar to Alisdair’s. What did fire matter if someone can put you in a cage?
I forced myself to turn back to the statue. Anything other than falling deeper into his glittering, dark orbs. “So what imaginary thing have the soldiers in your dreams retrieved from the island of make-believe?”
Chuckle.“I will tell you when I’m in a mood as poor as yours, so that you cannot bring me lower.”
He received another foul gesture for that. “Is this her?” I asked, studying the woman’s stone face. “Raelina?”
“No.”
I waited for more, but none came. Alisdair’s candor had limits. I didn’t push.
“When do our lessons start?” I asked.
“Why?”
“I need to go out into the village today,” I heard myself say. “See the people. Meet them. Give them a chance to get to know me. I can hardly fulfill my promise to reign as a true queen if I’m hiding in the bowels of the castle, terrified assassins are around every corner. If you give me a couple hours, I—”
“Cease your blathering, woman, and do what you wish. What interest is it of mine?” He strode off.
“Ass,” I hissed, stomping off the other way.
Aeris stood five feet away, talking in low tones to one of my attendants.
“Aeris, send for my carriage!” Pulling up short, I tossed my head—eyes wide. That wasn’t me. That was how Emiana addressed her household staff. It was not how I addressed a single soul.
The barrier between me and her is already crumbling. I have to get out of here while I can still remember who Olene, Meliora, Jaclan, Gisela, and Savia are.
“Excuse me, Aeris,” I said. “What I meant to say was can you have a message sent to Eadaoin, telling her to wait for me in the grand hall? We’re going out into the village this morning.”
“Right away, my lady.”
Half an hour later, Eadaoin and I left through the palace gates for the village. There was a palpable change in the air since my last visit. The clouds were heavier and darker, pressing the orblights to work harder dispelling the doom. A stiff wind whipped through Lumenfell—slamming doors in the distance, smashing flowerpots, and beating against my overcoat. All of that chilled me, but none so much as the new inhabitants. Everywhere I looked, there were wolves.
