Page 157 of The Crown’s Temptation

I took one cautious sip and immediately grimaced. "It tastes like boiled moss."

"It is boiled moss."

I stared at him.

"You're joking."

"I am."

"You hesitated."

"I enjoy keeping you humble."

I sighed. "You are impossible."

"I've been called worse."

I finished the treatment with considerably less enthusiasm than dignity.

He took the empty vial and motioned toward the chair nearest the fire. "Sit."

I lowered myself into the chair. The warmth chased away the chill that had worked into my bones during the walk.

He dragged the small table between us and took the chair opposite mine. A worn deck of cards came out of his coat. It had been coming out of his coat every evening for three weeks now.

The treatment always made me tired. Eravic had apparently decided that was the perfect opportunity to cheat at cards.

"I saw that."

"You did not."

"You put the ace beneath the deck."

He looked thoughtful. "I don't believe I have an ace."

"You already looked."

"I did."

"You are impossible."

"So I've heard."

I reached across and snatched the top card from his pile.

He sighed. "Princess."

We played for a while. I lost twice and refused to acknowledge it and he refused to point it out, which was the version of kindness he had eased into over the past weeks without either of us naming it.

"You've become annoyingly difficult to read," I said.

"Almost certainly," he said.

I laughed. "You're infuriating."

"So I've heard."

The fire burned between us. Outside the wind pressed against the walls of the hut. Inside the game continued.