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Wood thudded on wood behind her Isabel started to turn around, then realized that she didn’t have to She could feel the air bouncing off swords and bodies behind her, allowing her to draw an accurate iround She felt rather than saw Rokan sheathe his sword and bow to the guard he had defeated The discovery startled her so ot to uphold her end of the conversation "Er--the northern dukes tend to benew about that They like to think of themselves as honorable and loyal subjects"--he rolled his eyes--"but I believe history has shown thees than of their king’s honor In any case, Prince Rokan isn’t going tosome noblewoman’s by-blow"

Isabel sied"

"You think so?" The nobleman eyed her skeptically, which Isabel supposed would have been insulting if this were her true for in her smile made hihting about to begin

Later that night Isabel made her way to Clarisse’s suite and knocked loudly on the door

She was surprised when Clarisse opened the door herself The princess earing a long, clingy dressing gown and reeked of perfu on her Isabel hadn’t seen Clarisse at the evening’s banquet, but there had certainly been wine enough there to explain the princess’s state

Then Clarisse blinked, and her eyebrows slanted doard over suddenly hard green eyes "What do you want?"

Isabel had prepared herself for coy, faked politeness She dropped that idea hastily "I want to talk to you"

"You can’t," Clarisse said, and began to close the door

Isabel stretched out one arered back a few steps as Isabel walked in

She saw at once why Clarisse had opened the door herself The roole maidservant to help the princess dress or pull her bed drapes closed before she slept Isabel could not have beenin squalor But the roorand, and cluttered with so ht line of space that went more than two yards

Clarisse crossed her arms over her chest, and Isabel followed suit Clarisse was the person most likely to know the source of the threat to Rokan--the threat that nobody else seeend to seek protection The challenge lay in getting that ansithout letting the princess know she needed help Fortunately, Clarisse had just handed her an excellent place to begin

"I’m mildly curious," Isabel said, "to knohy you hate me"

Clarisse’s scowl lifted "I’m a bitter, hateful person," she said in an almost friendly tone "I hate everybody" She took two steps back and sank onto a plush chair, keeping her eyes on Isabel the whole time

"You don’t hate Rokan," Isabel pointed out

"Are you serious? Of course I hate Rokan"

"I see Is that why you hate an to look away Then she snapped her head back and said, suddenly and sharply, "Is that why you’re here?"

Impasse

I don’t know Isabel almost said it Instead she raised one eyebrow and said, "Why do you think I’ moment, then lifted a slender hand to her mouth and stifled a yawn "What did you want to talk to me about, Shifter?"

"I have a na you ‘Shifter’?"

No answer she gave to that could be right Isabel took a deep breath, feeling so out of her control Or rather, Clarisse was pulling it out of her control She was very good at it

Isabel should have been better

The silence stretched, and every passing second was a point in Clarisse’s favor Finally the princess yawned, stretched, and put her ar to stay there and stare atdown? It’s much more comfortable"

Isabel forced herself to take the three steps toward the closest chair, and even then she couldn’t bring herself to sit For a ht of a deer backed into a hard spot by wolves, turning in panic with nowhere left to run The idea felt familiar; she could al breaths But so

Clarisse looked her up and down and sht, Isabel You caht to talk to hty chuckle "It’s not quite the ht, Clarisse"

"Maybe not to you, but it’s pretty late for huh control to keep even a flicker of e her face, and Clarisse stretched her ar to say, I suggest you hurry up and say it"

Isabel realized suddenly why the i She had been there, but not as a deer She had been one of the wolves

Blood pulsed through her with the memory, laced with the thrill of the chase She took two quick strides forward and grabbed Clarisse’s ar her up from the chair She was surprised to find Clarisse ready for that, braced against it--but the princess’s resistance made no difference Isabel pulled her up effortlessly

In a voice like ice, Isabel said, "I ca to kill your brother"