“You know what I meant. As queen.”
Neve swallowed. “We haven’t discussed that, have we?”
Thyra snorted. “Why should we? As far as I can tell, I’m the only one with an army. I also have far fewer enemies—just the king. You have Magnus, the Red Assassins,andthe Queen of Vampires hunting for your blood. Plus, I wasraised in this land. I’ve seen its ruin, and the people suffer. You have not. As far as I can tell, I’m the obvious choice.”
“That might be true,” Neve said carefully, trying not to give in to her sister’s obvious need to egg her on. She’d quickly gotten a read on Thyra. “However, I might be able to get many noble houses to rebel against the Crown. And if they provide armies, well, that would make us closer to equal, wouldn’t it?”
Pride bloomed in my chest.
“All that is not even considering our magic,” Neve added. “We have yet to see who is most powerful. Wouldn’t, by the law of the kingdom, the strongest magic win the Crown of Winter?”
She was correct. My family had been an exception, for we’d hidden Rhistel’s forbidden whisperer powers. To do so, we’d had to feed into the rumors that his winter magic was so strong he needed to wear ice spider silk gloves to keep those around him safe. In truth, though, Saga was not only the only real heir to the king, but she held the strongest winter magic.
Thyra growled. “I suppose we’ll have to see.”
“Allow me to take off these spider silk binds, and we will.”
“Not yet.” Thyra’s gaze skittered to the vampires before returning to my mate. “You say they wish to help with the heists?”
A not so covert change of subject. Not a surprise either. Neve had known that the vampires’ ability to help in the heists would be a large draw, for her sister coveted a Hallow.
“We will,” Astril answered. “We’ve already committed to making an oath.”
“Which is?”
“We fight for Princess Neve loyally, or we die.”
Thyra’s jaw set. “That won’t do.”
“Why not?” Neve frowned.
“They must swear to usboth.”
“You are barely tolerating them as they stand in front of you.” My mate scoffed. “Are you serious?”
“Deadly.”
The twins fell quiet and in that silence, one could hear the individual breaths of each fae present. Finally, Neve sighed in resignation.
“As long as they wish to do so.”
“We will protect you both,” Astril said. “And when King Magnus is off the throne, we will be free to live here. Not persecuted as we would be now. Whatever squabbles over the throne itself, however, willnotbe settled with our help. That is a matter between the Falk princesses.”
Another silence. More glares shared between Thyra and Neve.
“Then you may stay,” Thyra announced. “Your kind will be useful for sneaking about. And if we’re in a bind when we flee the cities we plan to steal from, you can run ahead with the Frør Crown—should we find it. That way, it’s safe. Fates be good, both me and my sister will survive, but we cannot bet on such a blessing from the Fates. Not when they seem to enjoy ignoring us.”
To that, Livia, the most quiet and youngest of thevampire sisters, cocked her head. “Why would you travel by foot when you have a gatemaker amongst you?”
I stiffened and sensed Luccan doing the same behind me.
Upon hearing about the heists, Neve had brought up the idea of using his gateways, but had assured Luccan that if he didn’t wish to come out as a gatemaker—a regulated magical talent—she would understand. Luccan had told her he’d think about it.
He’d not come to a decision, but he no longer had the power to remain a secret.
To make matters worse, Livia was staring straight at him, the confusion evident on her face. “Couldn’t you make gateways into the cities?”
Thyra sputtered. “Y-y-you’re a gatemaker!?”
