I step back, heart hammering. The warmth between us vanishes. For a moment, he doesn’t move. And I almost—almost—wish he would.
“I—I should go.” My voice comes out hoarse. I stumble over my thoughts as much as my feet. “Thank you for the lesson.”
He doesn’t stop me, but as I turn away, his voice follows.
“Fire…” he breathes. “Whatever happens tonight, know you are not alone.”
I don’t look back. I can’t. But I feel his eyes on me until I disappear into the shadows.
Chapter 13
The King
The other girls fall into line, each led by her fairy companion. Their delicate wings shimmer faintly, casting soft, shifting patterns on the stone walls. Even the castle itself seems to move around us—stone groaning, shadows slithering.
I force my breath to steady.In four. Hold four. Out four. For Kat. For Tobias. For the life they’ll build together, far away from this accursed mountain.
“Still breathing?” Mariel murmurs beside me, slipping her arm through mine.
“Barely,” I reply.
Her tall frame moves with effortless grace, her lilac gown trailing behind her like mist. She smells like lavender and smoke.
Vivian walks just ahead of us, twisting a small braid between her fingers. “They say the king is a generous lover,” she whispers. “He gives gifts to the brides who please him.”
“Indeed,” Seraphina says flatly. Her dress shimmers like dusk, and the smug way she lifts her chin makes her look more like a queen than any of us. “He’s had six hundred years of practice. Which is why he needs a real woman. One with experience—not some shy virgin.”
Her gaze drifts, deliberate and cruel, lingering on me for a heartbeat before sliding to Cassy.
Cassy’s hands tremble in her lap.
“I’ve never even kissed a man,” Cassy whispers. “What if we’re expected to… you know… be the king’s—”
“Don’t worry,” Mariel cuts in gently, squeezing her hand. “Even if they take your body, they can’t take your spirit.”
Her words strike something deep in my chest. And while I know Mariel means well, nothing in Cassy’s trembling frame eases. I swallow hard but say nothing. Instead, I lace my fingers through hers. Cassy doesn’t pull away.
“There’s nothing wrong with being inexperienced,” I say quietly. “My mother taught me that it’s important to know your worth—and only give yourself to a man you love. After he commits to you for life. Before God.”
Seraphina snorts. “Oh, please. God? I thought Solmereans believed in a whole pantheon of gods. Sun gods, river gods, tree gods—which one, exactly, is the keeper of maidenhood?” Her eyes gleam. “Or is it just your mother’s own personal made-up god you’re saving yourself for?”
My jaw tightens.
“That belief has kept more girls safe than your pride ever has,” Mariel snaps.
But Seraphina is already circling us like a vulture. “Oh, I don’t blame you, really. In Grathmoor, we don’t shame womenfor taking what they want. Giving and receiving pleasure is a strength, not a weakness.”
She stops in front of me, eyes gleaming with cruel delight. “We use men, not the other way around. Of course, I expect innocence from Cassy. She’s, what, fifteen? But you…” Her smile turns syrupy. “You’re a grown woman, Fire. A woman with so much… restraint. It’s almost saintly. Maybe even… virginal?”
My jaw clenches. Mariel steps between us, but Seraphina just laughs and saunters back to her place.
“Don’t worry,” she sneers, tossing her locks over her shoulder. “Soon enough, we’ll all see how that purity serves you in the Trials. Or if it gets you killed.” What a bitch.
Cassy squeezes my hand tighter, and I squeeze back.
I’m about to fire back a retort when the groan of iron suddenly fills the air. The ballroom doors swing open.
The hem of my gown whispers against cold stone as we approach the towering entrance. Its ironwork is etched with overlapping dragon scales that gleam in the torchlight like fire captured in metal.
