phin

the glowing circle. The air itself f

Valerius had to take a ritual dagger, draw his own blood, a

us swipe of the blade. Blood dripped onto the powdered l

all emotion but a chilling emptiness

Valerius. But I hope you don't cry yourself to sle

d the bloodied dagger and slas

like I was being ripped in half from the inside out. My visi

ony, I saw Valerius grunt and drop to one knee, blood trickling from the corne

tossed the crystal vial at him. It

e," I said, m

, his fingers fumbling with the

y waiting carriage. Just before I stepped u

d out, my tone deceptively

pause hang

rning dew, a single cornflower petal, and one of my tears.

is face was a masterpiece of emotional devastation-shifting from d

?" he stammered, h

n the tense courtyard. "No. You wer

, I turned and climb

us, so thoroughly humiliated, would not let

arts laden with my dowry. Silks from the far ea

ommanded, my voice sharp. "The bolts of si

lady, those ar

I will not leave for them," I

olls of magnificent silk and priceless art scrolls were tossed into

on of what he now considered h

his face purple with rag

swarmed forward, blocking the path of my carriag

y sleeve, my fingers closing around the co

s a powder keg a

aos. Cold, imperious, and carryi

nd d

rce of a physical blow. Every guard froze in place.

e curtain of my

g pushed into the courtyard by

. His eyes, a startling shade of deep violet, were like chips of ice. Though confined to a chair, his presence r

pha King's youngest, most feared

he com