“About anything in particular? Or are you hoping that I’ll sit and braid your hair like your pampered noble friends at court did?”
I winced at the near truth. Clem had usually done my hair, but Saga had tweaked it when she gave me a hair pin from my mother—the queen who Thyra resembled more than I.
My heart stopped.That’s an opening.
“Actually, one did my hair once. She gave me our mother’s pin. I don’t have it on me, but I have some of our mother’s jewels. Would you like to see?”
Thyra stopped, turned. “You’re walking around with royal jewels? How? And why did we not take them from you?”
“You did, but then one of the rebels returned them.” For the sake of trying to bond, I refrained from adding‘unlike my sword’. “Probably because I never said outright that they were from our family.”
“How did you get them?”
“I took them from the castle when I thought I’d need them for payment south. I no longer need them for that, but they could be useful.”
“You’dsell them?” she hissed.
“If necessary.” I did not wish to, and Vale assured me we’d use all his coin before it came to that, but I was a realist. Where I came from, you did what you had to do to survive.
Thyra glared at me. “Do you have no pride! Those are what’s left of our history.”
I stared at her, shaking my head. “I don’t understand you at all.”
She laughed dryly. “The feeling is mutual.”
“Allow me to elaborate on whatever question you have.”
“Why do you go by Neve and not your true name? I can understand when you remained in the dark, but you still use the name a slaver gave you.”
I swallowed. “I—I wasn’t ready to change yet. But I plan to take it. And soon.”
“Soon. Howencouraging.”
I pulled the pouch of jewels from the pockets of my cloak and thrust the bag between our faces. “This might be our history, but I’myour blood, Thyra. You’ve shown more interest in baubles than your twin!” I didn’t mean for my voice to lift as I spoke, but it did, and by the time I finished, more people than I’d have liked had overheard.
My twin came closer, jaw tight. “You’re right. As it stands, I care more about those baubles than you because I know of their past. Know that they will not hurt me or disappoint me. They’re things! You’re a fae with ambitions, and you may be working to undermine all that I’ve striven to achieve for our family.”
“We want the same thing. King Magnus off the throne. Revenge for our family.”
“And to sit on the throne yourself?” Thyra asked.
I wanted to sigh, to say ‘not this again’, but Thyra didn’t give me the chance.
“You are, after all, already wed to a prince,” she plowedonwards. “A respected one—for all his faults. But you haven’t spent your life here, Neve. You know so little of the people of Winter’s Realm. How can I trust you will care for them as well as I?”
“I want to help them too.”
“I noted, however, that you didn’t state that at first. Revenge on Magnus is a motivator for you. For me as well, but I will always think ofthe peoplefirst, for I have seen many starve. Die. I’ve watched Winter take them, and if I can change that, I will.”
I wanted to say that I’d seen pain too. Here, and in the Vampire Kingdom, but those words lodged in my throat. She was right. I wished to save people too, but I couldn’t help the fact that I had a personal vendetta against King Magnus. I’d spoken of revenge because that seemed to be what she wanted most, but Thyra was motivated by so much more.
“In time, we’ll see who is worthy of the throne,” Thyra said. “But until I know who you are and that you won’t betray me, I’ll keep my guard up. As our parents should have done with those around them.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, but she was already turning away, preparing to bolt.
Unfortunately for Thyra, someone had snuck up on her: Thantrel.
His olive eyes locked on her, and the hope there made my heart break.
