“Awww, I didn’t realize you cared, little Wyn.” Pharis grinned. “Don’t worry, I have things covered. And I doubt the King has figured out what happened yet. He’s not that bright. If he ever does, I have amassed more than enough power to handle him. Besides, there are rumors of dissent and unrest in the kingdom. Talk of a challenge to the throne of Avrandar.”
My jaw dropped. “Is that what all this is about? A coup attempt? You plan to overthrow your father?”
Pharis laughed. “I am happy to say, my father is no longer my concern. And I intend to leave the King to his own business.”
“Well you can do the same for me,” I said. “I intend to leave as soon as I’m well enough to walk on my own. Unless you plan to use your myriad powers to trap me here.”
His eyes narrowed, and his tone hardened.
“Are you in such a hurry to be hunted again? As there was no body found, I wouldn’t be surprised if the King is looking for you. And Sorcha may be dead, but her Earthwife sisters are alive and well and quite fond of revenge. I’m told they showed up in force for the execution, champing at the bit to watch you die.Theythinkyou’re dead right now. If you leave these castle walls and go wandering about, that will change.”
“I’ll take my chances.”
“Will you also take chances with the lives of your family?” Pharis asked. “If you’re found, the witches could torture you or spell you to reveal your family’s location. I became rather fond of your father and sisters during our time together. I don’t want to see any harm befall them.”
The last time I’d seen my family, they were safely tucked away in the remote mountain village of Havendor, a place that had been hidden from the King’s awareness—until he’d used a tracker helped along by Sorcha and Stellon’s Exalting glamour to find me there.
“How do you know they’re still safe?” I asked, intensely interested. “How do you know the Earthwives haven’t found them already and taken one of my sisters?”
“I have my ways,” Pharis assured me. “I’ve been keeping an eye on them. They’re safe. And they’ll remain that way as long as you stay put and accept the help you’ve been so generously offered. I know you have a hard time with that.”
Back in Havendor, back when I’d trusted Pharis, I’d revealed to him my mother’s last words to me. She’d told me I was stronger than I knew, and that I didn’t need anyone.
In the years that followed her death in battle, I’d taken that to heart. I’d done my best to fill her place and take care of my blind father and much younger sisters. I’d become almost too independent, afraid to rest or accept any help at all.
Now I regretted sharing that private memory with Pharis and baring my soul to him.
“Please don’t act like we’re friends,” I said.
“Fine. We’re not friends,” he said. “But youwillaccept the protection of my home until I say you can leave. And while you’re here, you’ll work to develop your glamour gift and yourother Elven abilities, like mind-to-mind communication. You’re terrible at it.”
“You’ve tried speaking to me that way?” I asked, surprised. “When?”
He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. You need to learn to use it. And your glamour. It’s too valuable to go unutilized.”
“Sothat’swhy you saved me and brought me here.”
It was all starting to make sense now. “You want to use my glamour gift in forming your own court and enriching your own power.”
Pharis smirked. “That’s right. That’s the only reason. The King and I are rather on the outs, you see. Once he finally does realize I’m alive and what I did in that arena, I’ll need all the weapons I can get.”
“I have no interest in being one of your ‘weapons’—or in helping you form a rival court. I’ll refuse to participate in any sort of ‘training’ you have in mind.”
“Suit yourself, Wildcat,” he said. “But you’re still not leaving. Not until I say so.”
“What am I supposed to do with only a handful of books and a houseful of mute servants for company?” I demanded, frustrated by his blase demeanor—and his complete and total control over me.
“You and I got along quite well in the past,” he reminded me. “I’m sure we’ll do fine here together.”
His flirty tone and suggestive expression made my cheeks burn with heat and lit a fresh fire under my temper.
“If you’re entertaining any notion of revisiting our… our… ill-advised romanticinterludes… you’d better drop it right now.”
He chuckled. “Oh I have no illusions about your feelings for me.”
I gestured to my beautiful dress. “Then why the fancy gown and delicious food and bouquets of exotic flowers in my room?”
“You prefer rags and weeds and starvation?” he asked in a droll tone.
