Page 66 of Heir to His Court

I stood. “Do you have any further commands? Where am I to retire? The dungeons? On a cot at the foot of your bed?”

Threnvanne stared at me—then smiled. Slow, sardonic, white teeth gleaming with just a hint of fang. “You are no coward. Though there is a fine line between bravery and stupidity. I am not entirely certain where to place you on that line.”

I waited, staring over his shoulder like any good little squire. Édouard could be much more witheringly insulting. If General Threnvanne Sanyelle wanted to pick at me, he would have to work harder.

“You may retreat to your palace quarters,” he said. “My gift will not allow you to go further.”

I bowed and began to turn, but he stopped me.

“But first, Aerinne, a question. What was the bargain you made with my mother?”

Stiffening, I didn’t answer.

He laughed, and I heard him rise. “Did you think I would not know? I know my mother, and I know you. You still reveal far too much of yourself in your thoughts.”

“Renaud said nothing.”

“I am not he.”

I turned. “Which aspect was first, Threnvanne Sanyelle? Which of you was the boy who cried over his sister’s execution? The sister who betrayed your own mother?”

The shadow of a dragon roiled under his face. I held his gaze, mine as cold and stony, a rustle of phantom wings at my back.

We are not your prey.

“You are dismissed, Aerinne.”

I bowed and walked away.

You are fortunate I do not kill you. I may choose to do so yet.

At the door, I paused.

“Yes?” His dark voice drifted toward me.

“If I want to raise your aspect, how do I do so?”

“Simply speak my name, and perhaps I will come.”

“Threnvanne Sanyelle? Not Raniel?”

“I am the General of Ninephe.”

Of course. “Thank you.”

“Or perhaps I will watch in contentment as he kills you. I can think of no other reason you would voluntarily call me forth but to save yourself from him.”

I opened the door and left. We knew each other far, far too well.

That was going to be a worse problem than I’d realized.

ChapterTwenty

We fracture. We did not sleep long enough. Because we feared nothing would be left of her if we waited any longer.

He could not express, enough, his contempt for the decision to endanger themselves by rising far too soon for the Kuthliele’s sake.

“You insisted this miracle halfling would bind us, not strip us further from our core self,” General Threnvanne Sanyelle said. “You assured me that if I spent more time with her, I wouldvalueher. I fail to note her appeal.”

---