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“You haven’t even tried to understand my fear,” I said. “What makes you think I would let you touch me?”
Adrian’s gaze hardened, and it was my turn to smile, though there was nothing entertaining about this.
“Get dressed,” he said, and I bristled at the order. “High Council is in an hour.”
He left, and I flinched as he slammed the door behind him. I took that as a sign I had succeeded in my goal to hurt him, though to my own detriment, because I did not like that he had left before we could discuss High Council. I wanted to know his agenda, and I wished to communicate mine without the noblesse present. I did not trust that they would support me. Though it was not as if I wanted something that did not align with Adrian’s goal of conquering Cordova.
I wanted to return to Lara, and I wanted to invade Vela to rescue my mother’s people. And nothing about my current situation felt like it would make those things easy.
I left Adrian’s room for my own and summoned Violeta and Vesna with a pull of the servant’s bell. I wanted to get ready as soon as possible, hoping to check on the wounded in the great hall before High Council. Grimly, I wondered if anyone had survived.
Violeta arrived, followed shortly by Vesna, who carried a tray with tea and toast.
“Good morning, my queen,” said Violeta. “Are you well?”
“I am all right,” I said, unable to lie completely. In truth, I did not know. As I had so many times in my life, I was faced with something I had never expected, never wanted, and while marriage to Adrian had become something far more passionate and meaningful than I had ever believed, I failed to see the value in the ability to shift into the form of an aufhocker. I’d have much rather been a falcon or crow—something with wings so that I might collect my own intel on Lara and Vela.
Instead, I was a mindless creature with a thirst for blood.
And I was angry with Adrian for dismissing my fear.
“I wish to get ready quickly,” I said. “I would like to check on the wounded.”
Violeta did not speak, and her silence somehow seemed far more unsettling. My gaze shifted to Vesna, who was pouring tea.
“Are your sisters and mother well, Vesna?”
“They are,” she said, though her voice trembled. She cleared her throat and added, “Just shaken.”
“I think we all are,” I said.
“Do you think it will happen again?” she asked.
“I cannot say,” I said. As badly as I wished to promise it would never happen again, I couldn’t. We did not know why the creatures had attacked anyway. Even in the night, we had never worried about an entire pack ravaging a village. In fact, it was far more usual for aufhockers to remain hidden, feasting on small prey unless a villager or two wandered into their territory.
But these had seemed possessed.
“A preference on dress?” Violeta asked.
I often let her choose my outfits, but today I intended to draw attention.
“I’d like to wear red,” I said, and after a short audit of my wardrobe, she chose a gown. The sleeves were long and loose but gathered at the wrist, and the skirt was layered and warm. The only embellishment was a long gold belt clasped at my waist, the remaining length left to hang down the front of my dress.
The color was stunning and ignited like fire against my brown skin and black hair, which was down, only parted to the side to better accommodate the gold crown Violeta brought to me. While there was nothing simple about its workmanship, it was not embellished with gems or pearls. Instead, the metal had been fashioned into a series of fleurs-de-lis and delicate filigree. The final touch was a set of simple, gold earrings.
When I finished dressing, I chose to look in the mirror, which I had taken to turning toward the wall given that Ravena used them to spy and travel. Despite this, I could not bring myself to destroy it or take it from my room. There was a part of me that wanted a way to communicate with her, as dangerous as it was. Adrian had not been pleased with my decision but had reluctantly agreed. We both knew I was the only potential link to finding her, and I knew eventually she would seek me out. When that time came, I needed a plan, so that I could findThe Book of Dis.
There was movement in the mirror, and for a brief moment, I thought Ravena had returned, but it was only Vesna moving into the frame.
“You look beautiful, my queen,” she said.
I looked down at the dress, hoping it would serve the purpose I wished—to capture attention throughout High Council.
I had only attended once, and I had been unimpressed with Adrian’s chosen advisors—all men, save Ana. His men tended to ignore me whenever I was present, or perhaps they presumed as Gavriel had that we were one and the same. In some ways, I understood Adrian was their king and he had chosen them to serve him, but I was their queen, and I intended to be heard, separate from my husband.
I turned my back to the mirror.
“Will you not sit and eat, my queen?” Vesna asked.
