"I can''t believe you insist on being on your feet after what just happened."


    "I refuse to give anyone any satisfaction of seeing me wallow in my bed." I argued, earning myself a look of disapproval from my best friend which I dismissed in favour of a moreforting sight.


    Staring at my mate, I decided I would never tire of the sound of herughter. Despite being the object of it, a warmth spread in my heart. Seeing Sh disy genuine emotion and a care free side that I knew had nothing to do with our bond was like a breath of fresh air. More so after a night spent together without expectations. I was not even aware that there was anything to be enjoyed about anything of the sort.


    Determined to keep that happy expression on her lovely face, I pulled up my clock, covering Myrna''s mark that I still bore on my neck, together with a recently acquired one before stepping in.


    "d to see that my difort amuses you so."


    "You have to forgive m-" Herughter died down and she closed the distance between us in panic. "You are hurt."


    It was nothing but the bond speaking. She was meant to care if I was hurt. I knew that and yet I couldn''t help reading into it more than I should have. "It''s nothing." It wasn''t, but I did not wish to worry her. "Nothing but a scratch."


    "A scratch should have healed by now." Lines of worry formed on her beautiful face and I couldn''t have that.


    "And it is doing just that." I ignored the pain that shot up were she''d held me and drew her attention back to the many portraits. "Do you have favourites so far?" When I was met with silence, I turned to her. A frown had distorted her lovely features.


    "It''s not as if she has a lot of options." A grinning Liira came and stood close, her distraction more than wee.


    "I thought you said I was adorable?" I scoffed.


    "I''m your grandmother. I''m supposed to say such things."


    I rolled my eyes at Liira before turning to my mate who was still less than amused. "There is someone I wish for you to meet." A figure appeared by the doors after I''d mind linked them toe in.


    "Carlytte?"


    "Oh, mydy! It is so good to see you again!" The bubbly maiden shot for my mate and took her in a good old fashioned embrace before she realized how improper her behavior was for someone like her. Face filled with colour, she bowed impossibly low. "Please forgive me, mydy, your majesty."


    "There is really nothing to forgive." Sh returned the embrace, much to the young maiden''s delight. And if I had reservations about Evarius'' niece being good for my mate, the bright smiles that were exchanged between them changed that. "I have appointed Carlytte as yourdy in waiting."


    "You mean she''ll be my staff?" A displeased look graced my mate''s face and before I could find a fitting answer to her displeasure, Carlytte came to my rescue.


    "Titles are overrated. We could just be friends. Please say yes. You know I have wanted this since the moment Iid my eyes on you." The whole thing was like a bizarre proposal, but it did get my mate nodding and smiling regardless. "Well, now that that is settled, youdies will have to excuse us. I''d like a word with my grandson." I stiffened, knowing what wasing next.


    "Watch over her." I mouthed to Rakon as me, Liira and Gol stepped into the inner chamber of the royal gallery.


    "Where is Sarabeth and Derian?" Liira asked the moment I closed the doors and trapped us in the little sanctuary that was meant to keep everything spoken here secret.


    "Hopefully father and mother are busy somewhere having tea."


    "Elian?!" Liira warned. "You know we cannot be in here without those two. It''s tradition."


    "Technically this is not official. You are here to embarrass me with those baby portraits aren''t you?"


    "They will still see through it."


    "This is the safest ce for what we are about to speak of." My eyes darted to Gol. "A spy inside the pce speaks of no ce being safe."


    Liira only sighed, knowing I spoke the truth. "Let me see what they did to you."


    I undid my cloak carefully before taking it off. Up until the moment I''d stepped out of Sh''s chambers to get a breath of fresh air, the pce and its surroundings had not been a ce one needed to keep looking over their shoulders constantly. Not until something hot and sharp had been plunged deep inside my neck while I stared into the early morning darkness.


    "By the gods!" Liira jumped to inspect the wounds I was nursing under my coat just as I suspected she would. I did not miss Gol''s reaction either. The ouw''s eyes widened before pure hatred painted his face and his fists clutched tightly at his sides. "It looks worse than it actually feels." I flinched when Liira applied pressure to my neck. "The royal physician did all he could."


    "Of course he did." Frustration ate at Liira. "Why in god''s name did you note to me sooner?" She struggled to keep from yelling as she reached for vile after vile from her little pouch, dubbing a little of each on the deep cut on my neck. "Damn it! None of this works! Why did you not say anything?!"


    "Because while I struggled with whoever had dared to attack me, I aquired this." I ced a piece of armor on the table before us.


    "The emblem of Carene?" Gol grabbed at the piece, recognition and shock registering in his eyes. "Why in God''s name would anyone from Carene dare attack the king of Xatis in his own pce and that in the open?"


    "That is what I wish to know." I gave the man a hard stare that he held with one of his own. He was one of the reasons I''d chosen to keep the attack quiet. Somehow after learning about him from Liira, I knew that the man with roots in Carene would be an easy target for the me. That in turn would affect Sh and I couldn''t have that either.


    "You think I''m involved in this?" He asked through gritted teeth. "Is that the reason you let me into this forbidden chamber? To force a confession out of me?"


    "Of course not. We know you have not been back in Carene since the fall of the noble house of Alde."


    Anger, sorrow, hate and every emotion meant to express deep seated grief shed across the ouw''s face before his huge body sunk in the seat that was behind him. It pained me to have to ask him for anything, but it couldn''t be helped.


    "I need your help."A pained gaze met mine. "Any bit would be appreciated." I added, but he merely waved me away.


    "I knew fate was meddling, the moment she washed up on the banks of the devil''s river." A bitterugh escaped the ouw''s lips, but that was not the thing to grab my attention and I hoped to the gods he did not mean who I thought he did. My hopes were shuttered with his next words. "A poor maiden, bearing a very precious ring should have had me running the other way and yet here I am."


    Something stabbed in my chest. "The devil''s river?" My voice was barely a whisper as thoughts of Sh being tossed about in the blood thirsty body of water assaulted me. There was no end to how much I''d hurt her.


    "She was perfectly fine, given what she had endured. That alone should have made me think twice about getiing involved, but no one ever turns down second chances. Definitely not a man who''d hoped and prayed for one."


    Suddenly waiting until my heir''s banquet to strip Myrna of her position seemed too far "Is she a part of it?" Anger burned, but Gol merelyughed.


    "If you think you''ll find a connection between these people and your queen, you are mistaken."


    "You mean Myrna knows nothing?"


    "That is not entirely true. She does and she doesn''t. One does not get a hold of such a sophisticated spell without some help...some serious dark help." Gol nodded at the mark on my neck. "I would not be surprised to discover that she''d have met them way before she set foot in your pce."


    I turned to Liira. My grandmother had that calctive glint in her eyes. "Will you help us?"


    "I will."


    "Oh, thank the gods."


    "In return for something."


    "It''s nice to know you are human after all." Liira sat back, all ears.


    "Revenge."


    I sprang up to my feet. "You wish for Xatis to wage war against Carene?"


    Gol stood to his full height too, but his stance was in no way meant to intimidate. "That is where you are mistaken, your majesty. War has already been waged."