“Thanks, Ridley,” I muttered.

“Why didn’t you tell me what was going on?” Ember asked.

“I didn’t want word getting out.” I sat back on my bed. “I thought it’d be best to keep mum until we figured out what’s going on.”

“Well…” She didn’t know how to argue with that, so she brushed her bangs out from her eyes. “You can still tell me. I’m your best friend.”

Ember was lithe and petite, standing at least four inches shorter than me, and I wasn’t that tall to begin with. But she was a good fighter, quick on her feet and determined. I respected that about her, but that wasn’t what bonded us together.

Like me, she didn’t quite fit into Kanin society. In her case, it was because she was actually Trylle. Her father had worked for the Trylle Queen before they’d moved here to Doldastam four years ago. They hadn’t exactly been welcomed with open arms. Outsiders never were, but Ember and her parents had made their place here.

She did have the added struggle of being a lesbian in a society that wasn’t exactly thrilled about that kind of thing. But since she was a tracker, and not a royal with an important bloodline—or even Kanin—she’d gotten a bit of a break and tended to slip under people’s radar. Not that Ember would ever let anybody keep her down anyway.

“I know. I’m sorry,” I said. “Next time I’ll be sure to tell you.”

“So what happened?” She sat down on the bed next to me.

I shook my head. “There’s not much to tell.”

“Ridley mentioned…” Ember paused, her tone softening with concern. “He said that Konstantin Black was involved.”

I lowered my eyes and took a deep breath, but I could feel her eyes on me, searching for any signs of trauma or despair. When Ember had moved here, it had only been days after Konstantin had left. She may not have been here for the attack, but she definitely witnessed the aftermath.

His attack on my dad had left my nerves raw and I was struggling to control my anger at both Konstantin and myself. Myself for not being able to protect my dad better, and for having had such strong feelings for Konstantin.

Ember, along with my friend Tilda Moller, had been instrumental in helping me deal with it. But that didn’t mean I wanted Ember or anyone else to have to deal with it now.

“It was Konstantin,” I said finally.

Ember didn’t say anything for a minute, waiting to see if I’d continue, and when I didn’t, she cautiously asked, “Did you kill him?”

“No.” The word felt heavy and terrible in my mouth, and an ache grew in the pit of my stomach like a forgotten ulcer flaring up.

“Good,” she said, and I looked up at her in surprise. “You don’t need that on your conscience.”

I scoffed. “His death I could handle. It’s his life that I don’t need weighing on me.”

“I don’t know what happened, because I wasn’t there, but I know that you did the right thing.” Ember put her hand on my shoulder, warm and reassuring. “You always do. You got the Berling boy home safe and sound, and you’re here and you’re alive. So I know you did everything right.”

I smiled wanly at her. “Thank you.”

“You look exhausted. But I’m sure you had a very long trip back.” Ember’d only been a tracker for a little over a year, but already she understood how taxing the journey could be, even without a run-in with my nemesis. “I’ll let you get some rest.”

“You have no idea,” I admitted with a dry laugh.

Ember stood up. “I really am glad you’re back. And your timing is perfect.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“My birthday’s on Friday, and the big anniversary party’s on Saturday. You’re back just in time for all the fun,” Ember said with a broad grin.

I tried not to grimace. “Right. Fun.”

The birthday party would be fun, but the anniversary party I’d been hoping to avoid. It would mean guard duty at the palace all night long, which sounded like it would be right up my alley. But every party or ball I’d guarded had always turned out to be nothing but trouble.

FIVE

sovereign

The footman who answered the door to the palace helped me take off my coat, even though I assured him it wasn’t necessary, and he nearly pulled off my blazer with it as I tried to wriggle away. I’d kicked off my boots, and before I could collect them he was already bending over and picking them up.

If I hadn’t been in such a hurry, I would’ve insisted on doing things myself. Just because I was in the palace didn’t mean I needed a servant doing everything for me. But as it was, I’d barely had time to shower, and I didn’t have time to dry my hair, so it had frozen on the way over from my apartment.

I mumbled apologies to the footman and thanked him for his trouble. He offered to lead me down the hall to where the meeting was being held, but I didn’t need it. I knew the building like the back of my hand.

The opulence of the palace was nearly lost on me by now. Like the exterior, most of the walls inside were stone or brick. Two massive wooden doors opened into the majestic front hall, but despite the openness, it felt dark and cavernous, thanks to the gray tones of the stone.

The only natural light filtered through stained-glass windows featuring famous battles and royalty long since gone. At the right times of the day, when the light came through the window depicting the Kanin’s voyage across the sea, the hall would glow blue, and when it shone through the window immortalizing the Kanin’s role in the Long Winter War, the hall would shine blood-red.