“Tonight,” she breathes, her eyes glowing with hopeful excitement, “I’ll take a pot of soil to the throne room and show my father how I can sprout a seed. Show him what Woudix helped me unlock.”
I flinch, forcing down a growl at the god’s name.
“You sure you’re ready for that?” Quickly, I give her a reassuring smile. “I know you’re more than capable—but once your father sees your ability, what will he make you do? Let’s not forget he tried to kill us both. The man is ruthless.”
She cups a soft hand around my tight jaw. “I haven’t forgotten. But this is about helping the river valley refugees.”
“You think Vale gives a fuck about the refugees?”
She slides her arms around my neck. “I’m not as naive as you think I am. I know Vale has greater priorities—and that those are almost always selfish. But that isn’t what I meant. I don’t want to show Vale my power for his approval—it’s for hisintimidation. So he knows he can’t ever force you or me to his will.”
Oh.
I’m speechless for a minute, berating myself for thinking of her as soft when I’ve known from the start her core is pure steel.
“Then show him,” I murmur in agreement. “Show everyone—we’ll summon the entire court.”
In the back of my mind, I’m thinking that this show of Sabine’s powers could be the perfect distraction for me to sneak back into the basement. With everyone rapt by her display—and let’s be real, drunk out of their minds, like always—no one will notice if I slip downstairs to search for more murals. More secrets.
As I start to button my pants, her heartbeat kicks up again. She bites her lips in that telltale way, thighs drifting apart again.
Gods, wildcat,” I say in wonder. “Again?”
She gives a cat-like smile.
A knock at the greenhouse door rattles us both. She slides to her feet so fast she knocks over a potted fern.
A year ago, I would have yelled for whoever it is to fuck off. Back then, I was just a huntsman. A lone wolf. Now? I don’t havethat kind of luxury. Not when gods-damned royal blood flows in my veins and an entire kingdom is looking to me for guidance.
Sighing, I give Sabine a deep kiss before buttoning my pants and grabbing my belt. As I thread it through the loops, I stride over to the door and wipe my fist against the condensation.
Whoever it is had better have a damn good reason for the interruption.
But once I squint through the streaky glass, my irritation crystallizes into something uglier.
The brutish face staring back at me belongs to an old, cantankerous warhorse of a soldier I could happily go my whole life without seeing again.
Maximan—Rian’s longtime bodyguard.
Behind me, Sabine comes to my side, eyes wide as my own as she stares at the old soldier.
“Basten—" she whispers but doesn’t finish.
I only grunt in response. I know we’re thinking the same thing.
It’s not just that Maximan and I don’t get along—granted, wedon’t. It’s because of what his presence here must mean. Sabine knows it, too. Maximan wouldn’t have left Old Coros, crossed the border wall, and ventured all the way across enemy territory to Norhelm—on the brink of war—without a good fucking reason.
It’s about Rian.
The man I tried to forget.
The person IwishI’d lost my memories of.
Chapter 7
Sabine
Facing Maximan through the fogged glass is like seeing a ghost.
