Page 81 of Nightingale

They shared the same angle of the chin, the rounded shape of their face, a nearly identical shade of cool-brown hair and the prominent eyes that held a grey-green hue.

Many of the councilmen, court members and even her siblings commented on their likeness, on how it appeared though a master artist sketched Vrea from her mother to create a mirrored reflection. Vrea longed to age as divinely as her mother, to keep the youthful glimmer that Casta wore excellently.

But the slip of skin allowed Vrea to know precisely what, orwhohad kept her mother away.

“Trying to create another heir?” She interrogated with every bit of sincerity and seriousness.

“It never hurts to err on the side of caution when it comes to the matter of succession,” Casta lectured with a light smile as she opened the door even further, an invitation. “But not this time, Vrea. I’m past the age for that anyways. This one was simply for my own pleasure, and nothing more. No ulterior motives behind it.”

Vrea entered, the door swinging shut behind her. Her mother strolled over to the bed on bare feet and uttered a quiet instruction to the naked man in her bed. He rose up on his knees, uncaring about his decency and placed a long kiss on her cheek before rolling out of the satin sheets and ambling for the attached bathing chamber, where Vrea knew a large bathing pool would be.

Casta made no effort to cast her lustful gleam in her eyes away as she observed the swing of his generous backside, the divots in his hip bones, the ebony skin that glistened with sweat from sex. When there was no sign of him left other than the faint splash of water, she turned back around to face her daughter.

“You’ve come to talk about the Carylimian Prince, haven’t you?”

Vrea didn’t question it, how she knew.

The Queen knew everything, always.

“I have,” She confirmed. “I feel as though there is missing information that would help you reach an overall decision regarding his fate.”

“I’m sure that you’re well aware that your brother has already spoken on his behalf.”

“Teminos?” She refrained from letting the hopeful resonance enter. If he’d been the one to try and convince their mother toward any side, there was a good chance that it would fall upwards instead of reverse, a sign that even Teminos agreedthe Prince should be spared. Even if his calculated glances and numberless opinions stated that keeping him alive wasn’t a good idea.

Casta’s look wasn’t a comforting one.

“I’m afraid not.”

Her core tensed, her breath tightened and her heart felt as though it might explode with the pressure her chest forced onto it.

“Alpheus?”

She had yet to see her eldest sibling, even with the two days she’d been home.

“Are you going to list them all off until we’ve run out of options? No, of course not. He doesn’t bother with trivial matters such as men who should not matter.” She scolded, with a warning look shot in her direction. “Eamin came to see me, only three hours prior withhisthoughts on Rian.”

“I’m sure it was nothing short of an execution.”

“Something along those lines. But as I have assured him that his side of it all will be confidential, I will offer it up to you as well. Tell me what you want and it will stay between us.”

Vrea locked her gaze with her mother’s. She didn’t dare ask, insteadtellingher mother. That was how she’d be expected to act as Queen, that was how she acted now. Cool, calculated, controlling. A calm leader with reasonable points that scarcely left room for arguing, if any at all. Casta would find some of course, as she always did, but it was only additional lessons that Vrea would take in stride, adjust from, and emerge even more refined on the other end.

“Rian lives. Amir can escort him back through Niroula and to the border, past the camps and to his own side in Carylim as he returns to the war front. He can go home, in payment for delivering me safely, for setting me free in the first place.”

Casta stared at her, like the girl who stood in front of her wasunfamiliar, was not her kin, was someone else entirely. “What has he done to you, child?”

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

“Three years ago, you relished the opportunity to kill him, thesame Princethat is locked away in the room downstairs. Three years ago,youitched at the chance to put an end to his life, to be the one who wiped another of them out.” She adjusted the soft tie at her waist, drawing it closed even further as her resonance harshed to something that mirrored disappointment.

Something that struck her stomach.

“Now you’re asking for his freedom, for his life.”

“He gave me mine back.”

“How can you trust one of them, aMoordian,who would rather see you dead?”

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