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"We have to stop You drive ruffly "You always have"

My heart was struggling to cale, wonderful but awful turn of events "Well, you took the perfect revenge"

He turned his head to look atin my flushed face

I swatted at hi up onto his elbow and reaching out to brushthe last few years panting after you it’s nice to know you want me back"

My eyebrows rose in surprise "The last few years?"

Laughing softly, Wolfe reached forainst his heat "Let’s stop with the questions for now, Rogan We need to sleep"

I was sceptical that after our kissing session I would be able to fall asleep But surprisingly, with Wolfe keeping me safe, I drifted off quickly into a dreahteen

I couldn’t see her in the crowds Where was she? This was her night Snly at a Raphizyan Baron and his insipidly vapid wife, I made my way out of the noisy ballroom and into the foyer I had already asked Vikouard, if he had seen her He had turned his back for onethe Princezna in a crowded ballroom teeks into his new post I tried to reassure hiet to know her better to understand her better Once he had, looking after her wouldn’t be a probleuard at the entrance

"Have you seen the Princezna?" I asked anxiously, before reether nervously in case they thought so was amiss

One of the footmen stepped forward a little "Her o, ery"

I noddedup pace as I followed the luxuriously gilded hallways of the palace to the large orangery in the east ith views of the Silver Sea in the distance Not that you could really see the views past the exotic plants and citruses Stena, the gardener, had populated the glasshouse with Briefly, I closed ot to the orangery This was supposed to be Haydyn’s proper debut as Princezna of Phaedra; she was sixteen now, no longer a child But so her all day

I stepped inside the hu But Haydyn liked it here She said it made her feel like she was so on a bench at the back of the orangery She glanced up, unsurprised to seetowards her, the rustling of lass roo "Why aren’t you at the ball, enjoying your debut?"

She huffed, "It’s not as if they haven’t seenout loud "True," I hter out of my voice Sometireed with her su and you really should return to your guests"

Haydyn shrugged

I frowned "I know you aren’t blind to the superficiality of some of your court but you’ve never treated them with disdain You’ve always been so friendly and polite to everyone Tonight, I’d be surprised if you had stretched your lips once into a s Lady Viskt that if the people of Alvernia were half as well-fed as her cat, Phaedra would have no tribulations Now I think I didn’t htly "No, you didn’t But, Rogan, she’s awful All she talks about is that bloody cat of hers As if the Princezna wants to discuss an overfed spoiled brat of a cat that scratchedmoney to the charity I wanted to start for the mountain people of Alvernia"

A wave of fondness made me smile softly at her "Dear, not everyone is as open-minded about the Alvernianyou"

I shrugged, unabashed "They’re under the same evocation as the rest of us If they wanted to be civilised they could be"

"But-"

"You know I’d bephilanthropic idea of yours if I thought for one second it had been your idea"

Blushing, Haydyn shrugged "Darren is very passionate about these issues"

Now I did snort "Darren is an arrogant troubadour with an overinflated sense of importance He’s never even been to Alvernia! The furthest he’s been is Ryl Not exactly the best troubadour if you askhter, shaking her head Once she’d controlled her giggles, she stared up ht He did writeabout hair the colour of thehiet me to kiss hi her lips together she gave a sharp jerk of her head "No I did think about it but he’s not really what I expected None of this is" She swept the room with a dainty hand

"What do you mean?"

"I don’t think I can do this," she confessed hollowly "Decisions and choices, and pandering to the court It’s all so much responsibility The coronation ceremony is only two years away, and then I’ll be crowned Queen So"

"Why don’t we go away?" She clutchedwith me "We’ll jump on a boat and sail the coast to Alvernia See for ourselves what the people are really like"