Page 63 of The Cursed Crown

He faded right before her eyes, replaced by her mother's face, standing too close.

"You have interesting dreams."

This woman loved to set Rissa's teeth on edge. "Stay out of my head."

"Hm. That boy of yours. Does he treat you well?"

"Why pretend you're interested?"

Reina gave her question some consideration. "I am curious," she admitted. "Not interested. Now come. Let's talk of this quest of yours."

Rissa's eyes narrowed on her mother's retreating figure.

Khal was asleep, Teoran's head on his lap. She considered waking him up, but opted against it. She could handle Reina.

"You know some have tried to enter the mountain before you and failed, don't you?" Reina asked lightly once they were at the edge of the cave.

The view of the Wilderness in the light of dawn was incomparable. She committed it to memory, wishing she had the skills to draw or paint it to gaze upon it every day.

Rissa hadn't known any such thing, so she shrugged noncommittally.

"You'll manage," Reina stated.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, I suppose."

Reina's smile had little kindness to it. "It was spelled to keep anyone but those of the line of Mab out."

So she knew she'd get in because of her bloodline—it hadn't been a compliment. Rissa should have guessed.

"Inside, you'll find your prince. I could give you my advice on how to deal with him, but I have a feeling you'd dismiss it."

Reina had that right.

"Instead, I'll tell you one thing. Take the crown."

Rissa couldn't follow that train of thought. "So you want a queen for a daughter, is that it? You realize I'm not likely to give you any favor, I hope." She didn't even mean to be spiteful. If she ever acted as queen, the desires of a stranger wouldn't move her, and that was what Reina was. A stranger. She'd given her somewhere to stay for one night, and this debt, Rissa would repay one day. Beyond that, they had nothing to do with one another.

"I've said my piece. Make of it what you will. Many among the guests here don't take kindly to strangers. You should wake your friends and go, child."

She didn't need to be told twice.

* * *

Riding front and center,Rydekar might seem the picture of composure, but he'd woken agitated and remained so throughout the day.

The glimpse he'd had of Rissa hadn't been comforting. She'd dug herself into some trouble, and considering her distressed, half-baked apology, Khal had paid the consequences.

Had anyone else caused his cousin harm, Rydekar would have taken pleasure in destroying everything they held dear, but it was Rissa. The best he could manage was a stern look, an insult, and maybe a sigh.

The twelve men and women in his personal guard were handpicked, not only for their strength but also their loyalty, to him and to Tenebris, but right then, he would have exchanged every single one of them to have Khal with him, guarding his back as he always did.

Khal was alive. Rissa was alive. He had to concentrate on that. Never mind her horror, when she'd realized she'd dozed off. She wasn't in a safe place.

His concern was unwarranted and ill-advised. Of course she wasn't safe; she was in the Wilderness, risking her life for no good reason. Not that she would have been much safer here. She was the seelie queen. She'd always have enemies. Attempted murders. Poisoning. Not to mention the human scum picking at her unguarded kingdom.

Rydekar was venturing farther than he'd planned into taken territory. He'd passed several deserted cities, villages, settlements, and hadn't yet encountered any human soldiers, though the devastation they left behind was proof of their passage. Where were they hiding?

"Movement from the east!" Penna shouted from the rear.

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