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He nodded, and I removed my hand. “Whatever pleases you.”

“Well, don’t look at me that way either,” I said, his gaze so arresting I felt I might faint.

He let out a breath of laughter as he averted his gaze, and I wanted to kiss him all over again.

“Don’t smile,” I groaned. “You’re so handsome it hurts.”

“I don’t have to sleep, if you’d rather—”

“Absolutely not, my lord.” I pressed on his shoulders to keep him on the bed then kissed his forehead. “As usual, you tolerate my nonsense so very sweetly. I’ll be fine as soon as I leave the room, I’m sure.”

“I’m sure.”

He took me by the waist, turning me to face the door. I blushed, touching his hands where they held me.

“I’ll say sleep well,” I said, “but don’t respond. Your voice is far too mesmerizing.”

Beric laughed, which didn’t help the situation, but I forced myself to walk away from that beautiful sound. I had to remind myself that this was for both our good. I wanted him to get quality rest at the moment, or else I might have stayed forever.

I shut the door behind me as quietly as I could, releasing a breath on the other side.

When I turned, Eliza’s brows were raised, a sly smile on her lips.

“You weren’t kidding,” she said.

There was no fighting my pleased smile, all of me radiating the warmth of my blush. We linked arms, laughing as we headed down the hall.

CHAPTER40CALLIOPE

I halted at the top of the stairs, hand clamping down over my mouth in distress. A dozen guards were gathered, weapons drawn, all surrounding Albert and Faline. Albert held Faline close, shielding her, and I was relieved he wasn’t trying to draw his weapon and fight the guards back. Whatever awful misunderstanding was taking place, I would clear it up quickly, and no one would get hurt.

“Unhand them,” I ordered, rushing down the stairs. “What do you think you’re—?”

I froze on the final few steps as Anise stepped out from behind the guards, wearing one of Kat’s dresses.

I pushed back my shock so my cousin wouldn’t see how confused I was—even if my mind was reeling, desperately searching for an explanation. “Anise—?”

“‘Your Majesty,’” she said, her tone haughty. “It’s ‘Your Majesty’ now. After all, I am the queen.”

Now my gape couldn’t be helped. But it swiftly changed to anger. Because if Ann was queen, it meant she’d had something to do with Kat’s death.… But she couldn’t have. She wasn’t that awful, was she? “What have you done?” I demanded.

She showed me her hand, wiggling her ring finger, now occupied. “You’d think the guards flanking me would have given it away. I have more power than you do, Cali, so I suggest you—”

I summoned a shield and used it to shove half of the guards away. But as soon as I did, the guard closest to Albert exposed his throat and leveled a knife against it, with an energy so desperate I was certain he would kill my friend without waiting for the command. Another guard dragged Faline away from his loosened grasp, ignoring her screams.

“If you try any more magic,” said Ann, “my guards will kill your precious Albert. And believe me, it’ll be a loss to us all—he’s the only one of your little group who doesn’t annoy me.”

Albert didn’t look as if he took her words as a compliment, but didn’t try to free himself either. He was far wiser than I. Perhaps I shouldn’t have underestimated the competency of the king’s guards, or overestimated my ability to fight them all off, for that matter. I should have held back, waited for a better opportunity. Now my hastiness had put my friends in greater danger. I let my magic quiet, knowing the risk was too great.

Where was Beric when I needed him?

Come to think of it, where had Eliza gone? A stonemage could have buried them all in two seconds.

“How do I know you won’t kill him, anyway?” I asked.

“I’m not a heartless monster, cousin,” said Anise, with a superior chuckle, despite her threat proving her to be exactly that. “I see no reason to spill blood unnecessarily. No, you’ll all be put into confinement—separately, of course. I can’t very well have you plotting behind my back.” She turned to the guards. “The dungeons for our little knight here. I don’t care where you put the other two.”

“I am Knight of the God King,” I said, shifting away as a guard approached. “Vital to the keeping of the crown. The king will not allow this.”