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“Why do you ask, my darling?” His words hid the hiss of a serpent as he leaned across the table. “Planning on trying to run somewhere?”

“No,” I said too quickly, forcing myself not to retreat. “I was thinking we could use another portal to sneak up on the king.”

This surprised the sorcerer, who raised a brow as he considered it. “Not a bad idea.” He tipped his goblet toward me in a toast, then added more to our cups when I drained the little I had left. “We will use you as a distraction. I will announce your capture and leave you tied up for him.”

“What?” I sputtered, dribbling my drink down the white nightgown I’d been wearing for days. The showers he’d supposedly called for me from the cisterns were all illusion I’d conjured to make him think he had water wielding. Even now, I used illusion to mask the evidence of my lack of cleanliness.

“Don’t worry, it will be but a ruse to distract while I portal in from behind and strike the final blow.”

“With what?” I whispered, sure my trembling would give away my lies.

He shrugged. “Perhaps a dagger, perhaps I shall use fire to burn him alive. Both?”

Forcing a grin, I nodded. The dagger could work, but the fire would just be more illusion, assuming I was capable of it tied up like a sacrificial lamb in my father’s presence. Besides, if Serano failed, and he likely would, then I would be left to the king’s devices. And I shuddered to think what that might mean.

I had to get out of here. I had to find one of the portal spells. But how, when he watched my every move and kept me so weak?

“Drink,” Serano commanded, and without thought, I tipped the goblet to my lips, once again emptying it.

When I sat it down, he filled it yet again. My stomach roiled. What I’d already consumed had made my head light and my thoughts fuzzy. I would drink no more. I had to keep my wits about me.

“More,” Serano said, putting his weight on his elbows on the wooden table.

“No thank you,” I said, sitting back.

“I said drink.” He stood and snatched my cup from the table, liquid spilling over the sides as he shoved it in my face.

Startled, I sat up straight and recoiled. “Why?”

“Because I want to see what my queen is like when she’s had too much wine,” he cooed. Then he grasped the back of my head, yanking it back by my hair and forced the cup to my mouth.

I swallowed down what he poured, afraid I’d otherwise drown in it. Then he slammed the empty goblet back on the table as I wiped at my face with the back of my sleeve, wishing there was a knife close enough on the table to stab him with.

“That was another gift from Elvenloft,” Serano said, now pacing the room. “A potion for truth.”

I tried to spring to my feet, but only managed to get halfway there before the world tilted around me. I grasped for the edges of the table, scrabbling for purchase and managing to knock over several platters before landing on my knees.

Serano towered above me, and my vision swam until he separated into two sorcerers that parted then reassembled themselves into one.

“But I’ve told you the truth,” I said, and pain shot through my head so hot and fast that I screamed, clutching the sides.

“Apparently not,” Serano tsked, reaching down to pry my face up toward him.

My heart stammered, terror gripping me as he lifted me and tossed me on the bed.

“No,” I whispered, and another strike of pain blinded me. When I came to, he was straddling me, my arms trapped at my sides beneath his legs. He leaned over me, his dark hair falling around my face so all that remained was him. The scent of anise made my dinner threaten to come back up, but I didn’t move. I couldn’t. It had been a while since he’d been on top of me like this, but not long enough—never long enough to forget. Hot tears flowed to the dark satin sheets. I shook with rage as the world continued to spin.

“What have you lied about?” he rasped. “Lie, and you’ll feel more pain—not just from the potion, but from the dagger I’ll draw across your pretty little neck.”

I swallowed, though it was difficult when my throat was trying to close. But I had to think. I couldn’t lie. Nor could I so much as raise my arm to scratch at him with my limbs so heavy from the potion.

“I…” It was so very hard to get anything out with him bearing down on me like that. “You frighten me,” I admitted, and the lack of answering pain displayed the veracity of my statement. I hated that it was still true even after everything I’d been through. That realization more than anything made me feel defeated.

“Good,” he said, and grasped my head hard in his hands, wiping at my tears with painful pressure. “Now be a good little girl and tell me the truth. Let’s start with your intention to help me take the throne.”

A strange calm fell over me as I stilled, gaze meeting his black hole eyes. “You want the truth, Serano? I’ll give you the truth.” As long as I didn’t go out the same little girl who hid whenever things got hard, then I’d won.

And if standing up to him meant my death, then so be it.