He gave Pandora one last, agonizing look as she rocked the baby. He gr

clicked. He melted into the thick shadows of

abyrinth of the palace, slipping past two arched doorways heavily guarde

rom the Great Hall ahead. The deafening roar of drunke

cately carved stone pillar just outside the entran

with wine. He held a jeweled goblet in one hand, and with the other, he roug

bellowed. "Tonight, we secure the borders! I have finalized a

ng's words. His chest tightened. A dr

fered them a prize. My dear brother Alistair's six-year-old daughter, Princess Josefina. She

unced off the walls. Several nobles leaned in, making dis

udly it drowned out the thunder. Pure, unadulterated rage obliterate

lesh, drawing blood, but he didn't feel the pain. He forced himself to swallow the metallic taste of blood and humiliation in

He sprinted back toward the West Tower, his lun

d the door open. He slammed it shut behind hi

e blood dripping from his fingers. She saw

iolently. She pulled the baby tighter ag

d his hands in his hair. His voice was a broken, raspy whisper as he tol

gh, keening wail of pure agony. Her eyes rolled back f

nd's eye, she saw Josefina and this newborn baby locked

a breaking point. Somethi

replaced by a dead, chilling emptiness

mattress. Her movements were unnervin

d him more than her screams. He pushed himse

metal tray resting on a side table. She grabbed the heav

was going to end it all. He threw himself across the r

d back, her eyes blazing with the feral, murderous intensity

heir toys! Never!" she snarled, her tee

n scissors caught the candlelight

tched in fr

ht the scisso

ut off a soft, dark lock of hair fr

rned to her husband. Her voice left no ro

t a princess," Pandora declared.