I counted his footsteps as he circled around to face me.
His hands floated up to either side of my face, his thumbs caressing the line of my jaw. Slowly, the chainmail clinked as he lifted my blindfold like a veil.
I opened my eyes—Derrick’s face was hollow, his brow was hard, and his eyes were bloodshot. A slight red line was visible on his cheek from where Grigory’s knife had nicked him, but otherwise he looked unharmed.
At least on the outside.
He let out a ragged breath through his nose. Even though his voice was dry, sadness soaked his words. “Did you use sorcery on me?”
My white flame seeped up my throat, carrying the truth with it, but I kept my voice cool. “You wanted to dream and I made it happen.”
And if he let me get a little closer, I would let him dream again…
Derrick’s eyes softened, but then snapped up as a loud knock pounded on the door.
I took the brief opportunity to scan the room. We were in the Duke’s study. A golden sunset soaked the blue curtains and oak furniture.
“Your Excellency,” a guard warned from the other side of the door, “you cannot just—”
“Derrick!” Brietta shouted. She pounded on the door again. “What are you doing to her? If you hurt her, I swear—!”
A guard grunted like he had just taken an elbow to the clavicle. Derrick stomped toward the door.
I kept my eyes on the far wall as the portrait of Alastar the Conqueror stared down at me. My arms shivered as I pictured him putting the golden collar around my neck as he did with Fraleigh.
Derrick yanked the door open. “You always think the worst of me! Does she look harmed to you?”
Brietta ran into the room and took my face in her hands. “Did anyone hurt you?”
Pages flipped in the back of my mind and the light between her eyes twinkled. I sent her a quick message: “New plan. We run, now.”
Her brown eyes went wide, but the tether between us broke as Derrick slammed the door shut.
He tossed a glare at Brietta as he flipped the lock. “You knew about her. Of course you did!”
Brietta matched Derrick’s glare. He walked to a cabinet against the wall and pulled out a bottle of spirits.
“Has anyone in this palacenotcommitted treason?” His eyes flared as he uncorked the bottle. He took a swig and yanked the bottle from his lips. “Do I need to interrogate my sisters next? Find out who else is plotting against me?”
I shot Brietta a look, beckoning her to take my lead. “I never plotted to hurt you, Derrick.”
Calm him one more time. That was all I had to do…
Derrick’s darkened eyes flicked over to me and Brietta’s hand slipped over mine.
A warm smile suddenly spread across Derrick’s face. “Of course not, darling. Not you. Never you.”
Derrick gestured to Brietta with his bottle. “You,however, have been plotting with my uncle to depose me.”
I kept my face schooled but gritted my teeth. How could Derrick be so paranoid and still wrong?
Luckily, Brietta’s voice was calmer than I expected. “Derrick, that is not true. I only spoke with the man to clean up your mess from last night.”
Last night? Not even a full day had passed since Ragnar slipped the sleeping potion into my tea. I had more time to get to Nordingaard than I thought.
Derrick set down his bottle and spread his hands on top of his desk. “And sneaking around the library with Annalisa? The only use my twin has for books is to turn them into weapons.”
Brietta stayed calm. “We found your mother’s diary.”
