Page 208 of The Crown’s Temptation

“She drank all the feeder stores you had. That is how she was able to leave here.”

Nox breathed a sigh of relief.

"I do not know how to be what humans call a good mother," she said. "I have never wanted to. But I protect what belongs to me. From everyone. Even those who claim to love them."

"Why are you with Sevrin?" I asked abruptly.

"We want the same thing. And I understand him."

I tried not to roll my eyes. She lacked empathy seemingly even toward her own daughter but now she had some for Sevrin? “What do you mean by the same⁠—”

"Golden Princess." She cut me off. "I will not kill you for sending Aviaryn away. I will not kill you because you are Ryaran's daughter. And I certainly will not kill you now that I know we are both daughters of that simmering piece of shit called Orsin." She stepped closer. “But do not mistake blood for allegiance. My agenda ends with me winning. There can only ever be one winner."

I smiled. Months ago those words might have unsettled me. Now they simply sounded honest.

"Aviaryn is in Urasal," I said. "If you ever speak that name aloud I will kill you myself."

Nox laughed. "The Golden Princess threatens death rather often, it seems.”

"Morrath will do that to you."

"No." She shook her head. "Betrayal will."

She reached out and gripped my shoulder. I allowed it. “There will be things about her that frighten those in other kingdoms. She was raised here. Some of her instincts will not be human. But that does not mean she is worthy of anything less than love."

"I know." I paused. “But I do not steal children from their mothers, I⁠—”

“You quite clearly do.”

“Let me finish.” She was irritating.

“You are welcome to leave here and go get her. And when Dali leaves you can bring her back⁠—”

“I know what I can do. She is my fucking daughter.”

I did not say that I had every reason to be concerned that she didn’t know what to do because her daughter had been gone for well over a day and it seemed as though she was just now noticing but I decided not to bother speaking on the matter.

“She will be treated like my own child whenever she is in our care. Even if that care never ends.”

Something softened in her expression. Only briefly. Then it was gone.

"Urasal," she murmured. “I have heard of it.”

I nodded toward the Darkway. “Well, you will need to leave Morrath to go get her. Her only way back was through those tunnels and your little tantrum just destroyed that chance.”

Nox looked at the enormous rocks now barricading the tunnel. Then back at me. Her face unreadable.

I turned and walked away.

CHAPTER 47

The Intunar

The walk back to Darkway Palace was quiet.

Water moved somewhere below the path. I pulled my cloak tighter and kept moving, though I no longer felt like I had to.

Before the Arrolyn every step had cost something. My body reminded me with each breath that something was wrong with it. Now the poison was still there. I knew it was still there. But it was a presence I could barely feel.