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“Kalon.” I addressed him by name instead of using his official title as prince.
“That was quite some show you put on back there for us. I almost caught myself believing it. Perhaps you really do love him.”
My jaw clenched. “Of course I love him,” I said, keeping up the pretense even though at this point I was sure there was little point.
His expression didn’t falter. “It is an interesting arrangement, the two of you. Although I can see the allure with your being a sorceress,” he toyed. “How long do you plan to remain at court, Olivia?”
He was testing me. Erianna said it would be driving him crazy, not knowing why I hadn’t just come out and told Sargon who I was. “Not long,” I assured him with a lie. “Sebastian and I will return to the city soon.”
“Hmm. Oh, look, it’s snowing,” he stated as if I hadn’t spoken at all. He curled his fingers over the stone ledge of the open arched window next to the staircase, looking out at the white-trapped horizon. “Take a walk with me,” he commanded but didn’t extend his arm to take like Sebastian or Sargon did. “Allow me to show you the grounds. They are spectacular in the winter months.”
“Isn’t it always winter here?”
“We have seasons, but they’re nothing like Baldoria. Ismore is such a beautiful city. I’ve wanted to revisit, although I’m sure it has changed over the decades.”
“I never said I was from Ismore.”
“Ah.” He touched the side of his head. “Old age. I must have imagined the conversation.”
“I’m sure you’ve imagined lots of things.”
His laugh was clipped. “You have your mother’s mouth.”
“You don’t know who my mom is,” I said quickly as we walked out through the double doors, forged from wood, carved into patterns of skulls and contorted bodies.
He turned to face me once we were standing on the frosted ground. “Let us not continue to lie to one another.”
“Erianna is close by,” I warned, my fingers trembling from the cold, or him, I wasn’t sure. “They’re in the hall. If you try to hurt me, they’ll find out.”
He lifted my chin with a bony finger, examining my face. “My dear niece, I have no plans to hurt you. Yet.”
I guessed there was little point in lying. “When did you realize?”
He moved his finger and walked. I followed, anxious to be alone with him but also nervous to stay, unsure of what he would do if we didn’t have this talk. “I’m not going to hurt you. The king already favors you. He foolishly thinks you will be joining his council and working for him.” He rolled his eyes up to the sky. “People saw us leave together. It would be stupid of me to kill you out here, with witnesses placing us together. I’m not foolish.”
That, I did believe. I hurried behind him, rubbing my arms as the cold sank through my skin, slowing my heart. He stopped, placing his cloak around my shoulders. I wanted to shrug it off, but it was the warmest thing I’d worn in weeks. Stealing the heat from the fibers, I begrudgingly matched his pace. “So, when did you know?” I repeated.
“I’ve seen a picture of you, dear Olivia. Velda took it for me when she was tracking you, but when you showed me your abilities at dinner, I knew for certain that the girl we’d tracked was really our lost princess. You see, we share the same gifts, Olivia. I can feel people’s emotions, and it didn’t go away when I was turned.”
“Can you use it to change people’s feelings?”
He shook his head. “No, I could only do that when I was a sorcerer.”
My eyebrows shot up my forehead. “You were a sorcerer?”
“Naturally. Our father conceived me, Sargon, and our late sister with a sorceress.”
Of course. It made sense when I thought about it. “Sebastian will be back soon.”
“No, he won’t. He’s probably gone to cool down after that little dance of yours.”
My mouth twisted in disgust. “You’re vile,” I said, not wanting to pretend anymore.
He only smiled, his expression unbothered. “Why haven’t you told your father who you are?”
“I don’t want any of this.”
“Good,” he said, his tone clipped. “The throne isn’t for the faint of heart.”
