Page 134 of A Lord of Snow and Greed

“Tricks that we keep a secret from you,” Luccan replied. “Otherwise, you might claim them for your own.”

I chuckled dryly. “As if I need them. I’ll wipe the floor with you two.”

Luccan pushed me to the door. “Now go. I’ll tell your princess that you’ll be back later.”

I nodded, and, throwing a glance over my shoulder only to find that Neve’s back was to me, left the training facilities. At the door, I pointed to my Clawsguard.

“Stay with my wife. If someone wishes to speak with her and you don’t recognize them, get Sian Balik to stand with her.”

“Very well, my prince,” the guard replied.

I went on my way, still conflicted over leaving Neve. In truth, she was in good hands, but that didn’t change the fact that I had a duty to her. Not that I could realistically be with her all the time, anyway.

Father was still searching for rebels, and it was only a matter of time before he sent me into the city again. More than anything, I didn’t want to go. The king’s massacre of those actors haunted me, and, rebels or not, I didn’t wish for anyone else to suffer that fate. If only I’d called my cabal together faster, then those fae might still be alive.

A sigh left me as I climbed the steps, into a busier part of the palace. Fae watched me. Some even waved. Apparently, the stigma I’d brought upon myself by marrying Neve without Father’s blessing was wearing off.

When do I tell Father?

The moment Neve had given me Brogan's note, and I’d read about House Lisika’s treachery, I should have gone to the king. I should have told him everything. But something had stopped me. At first, I’d onlybeen disappointed that Neve and I still seemed at odds. Now, though . . . I couldn’t help but think there was something in the letter itself that had stopped me, even if just subconsciously.

Perhaps I needed to return to my suite and read it again.

Deciding to do exactly that, I pivoted from wandering to striding for my chambers. As I’d chosen to locate my suite far from the rest of my family, and in a less elaborate part of the palace, the crowds of fae thinned. Most visitors to the palace liked to stay in the nicer parts of Frostveil, public places where they might bump elbows with the king, queen, heir, or their delightful princess.

That suited me.

I was about five minutes from my room when a figure I knew as well as my own turned into the otherwise empty hallway ahead of me.

Rhistel’s back was to me. Hence, he didn’t notice his twin lumbering behind, fists clenched and proverbial steam spraying from his ears.

No Clawsguard followed my brother. He’d slipped away or perhaps whispered his guard into remaining somewhere.

At the thought, my anger boiled over, and I picked up my pace. “Rhistel!”

My twin stopped, and even from a distance, I could see the tense lines in his shoulders as he turned to face me. “Brother.”

“That’s all you have to say?Brother?”

I wouldn’t throw suspicion on anyone, but my promiseto Filip and Neve that I would keep quiet about what Rhistel had done was being tossed to the wind. I couldn’t allow him to violate those I cared for. As no one was around, this was the best moment to confront my twin.

“Were you hoping I’d break into song and dance?”

“You used your magic on her,” I growled, closing in on him. “I told you to stay away from her. Not to speak with her, and you tried to control her.”

“I tried to get her to kiss me.” Rhistel shrugged. “Wanted to see what all the fuss was about.”

“Have you no shame?”

“When it comes to your commoner wife and understanding why my brother would give up so much to be with her? No, I do not.” Rhistel snorted. “Now I’m fated to wed a Balik because of your choice. Have you met those females? Utter nightmares.”

My mouth fell open. At the Royal Theater, he’d called the Balik ladies lovely, said he could do worse. What had changed?

“I’ll never forgive your selfishness, Vale.”

I blinked at the last dig, the small kernel of sympathy and curiosity for my twin’s plight gone in an instant.

“You’ll never forgivemy selfishness?” I took a step closer to Rhistel, and he had the good sense to back out of my reach. “You whispered my wife. Likeyoudid to me.”

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