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Auclair raises an expectant brow.
Swallowing whatever this turmoil is inside of me, I ask, “How many alchemists do you have?”
CHAPTERTHIRTY-ONE
“What was that in there?”I hiss through my teeth as Anya and I slip into the hall, Cam staying behind to discuss other details with Auclair. It’s been less than an hour since we finalized the plans, and she’s already making changes? It’s complicated enough as it is with far too many opportunities for things to go wrong. Maybe I was too quick to trust her. If people start throwing in random—
“Come with me.” Anya hooks her arm through mine and tugs me off course toward the back grounds.
Before we reach the doors, she nudges me right, shoving the two of us into a narrow alcove. Planting her hands on my shoulders, she towers over me and brings her face uncomfortably close to mine.
“Listen to me. It had to be this way. It wouldn’t have worked without it.”
“You don’t know that. And you didn’t have a problem with it before.”
“Because I didn’tknowbefore. I didn’t see it until the two of you had already taken off.”
“See what?” I’ve gone over the details a million times. If there was some glaring hole, surely I would’ve caught it already.
Uncertainty knits her brow as she casts a quick glance into the hall, ensuring we’re alone. In fact, everything about her demeanor feels off. The anxiety is practically vibrating off her skin as she fidgets and shifts her weight.
My next words freeze on the tip of my tongue as I narrow my eyes. “Anya, what do you mean bysee it?”
She seems to decide something, because everything about her hardens—her jaw, the set of her shoulders, her voice. “We all have our secrets, Valerie. And we don’t have time to get into it right now.”
That response more than anything confirms it.
But that’s impossible. For her to be a seer, she’d have to be a lunar witch. Or part of one.
She’d have to be a halfling like me.
But back at Magnolia’s shop, she’d said she’s been having trouble seeing lately. That there was something she couldn’t see around, possibly another seer.
Was that because of Anya?
“What is this really about?” I demand. “All of that talk about royal marriages being barbaric—”
“Theyare—”
“Then why would you initiate this?”
“Because it doesn’t work without it!” She throws her hands up, then rakes one through her hair with an exasperated exhale. “The other estates are going to have a hard time accepting a wolf to begin with. Some of them will never accept it—they’ll just go along to stay in the alliance. Marrying me ties Cam to at least one estate officially. Without that protection, they’ll make a move against him. Assassinate him before he even completes his first year as a monarch. You think Iwantto do this? You think I wanted the first vision I’ve seen in months to be of my own wedding that I didn’t choose?” Her throat bobs as she swallows hard, but the fire in her eyes never wanes. “But I’m doing what I have to do. Just like you.”
I stare at her, seeing far too much of myself in the fear behind the fire.
“Anya.” I soften my voice. “We can try to come up with something else.”
“Don’t you get it?” she says, not unkindly. “You think I didn’t look for alternatives? I ran every other scenario after that vision. It has to be this way. The Vasiliev estate has been one of the worst when it comes to relations with the weres. Almost as bad as the Carrington.Myestate aligning with him will speak volumes. It’s his only chance.”
“Is that why you came to Auclair in the first place? Because of something you saw?”
She blinks at me, surprised. All this time I’ve been digging for the reason that really brought her here…of course I never found any answers if she doesn’t know them herself.
“I know they weren’t expecting you,” I explain. “You stowed away on that plane. Why?”
She crosses her arms and lets out a slow exhale as she casts another glance around the hall, apparently accepting I’m not going to let this go.
“Yes. I don’t know what it’s like for anyone else who can see like I do, but when I have a vision, I feel this obligation to fulfill it. I have this…thisknowing…that something awful will happen if I don’t. A few months ago, I saw, well, I saw what my brother’s friends would do to you. I didn’t even know who you were at first.” She grimaces and gives me a half shrug. “And I saw myself stop them. That was long before these wendigo attacks started up again. Before any of this. I had no idea at the time there would be another purpose for me being here.”
