Page 18 of Frost Bound

“You look pretty free to me.”

The decanter dangled from his thick fingers, and he gestured toward Dahlia. “As do you, my flower. You’re staying in the royalquarters in the Asteran palace, dressed in fabrics I’m sure you’ve never even been able to touch before, eating foods you’d never be able to afford. You could walk out that door with two of the candlesticks and live as a wealthy woman for the rest of your life. And yet you stew and read books that areillegal.”

She curled her fingers into fists. “First of all, you know I can’t leave Cosmos. Nothing is ever that black and white. And second, the books came with the room.”

“I’m sure they did. There are different rules for those wealthy enough to afford them.” He arched a brow. “You aremakinga choice to stay. You’re not trapped.”

His logic was flawed, and yet it struck a dissonant chord within her. Lia grasped the bottom of her neck, feeling like the air was too thin. “Why are you here?” she whispered.

“To offer your brother safety while you’re away in Loriia.”

So perhaps he had listened in to her conversation with Basil.

Hysterical laughter burst out of her. “You? You’re the one who put him in this situation in the first place.”

Wrong thing to say. Bullies never want to be blamed or be held accountable for their actions.

His expression darkened to a deeper blue and his fingers tightened on the bottle. “Your brother tried to steal from me first. These are the consequences of his actions, not mine. As for the queen … well, she’s a conniving wench who always tries to foil my plans.” His face morphed into a deranged smile. “But I will get the best of her this time, which is why I need you.” Goosebumps broke out along her arms as he stalked closer. “We’ll steal your brother right out from underneath her.”

“What do you mean?” she rasped as he brushed his thumb along the edge of her jaw.

“You look so much like her,” he murmured.

“Like who?”

“Like mysister.”

The princess.

“So you knew the whole time…”

He scoffed, dropping his hand. “I’m in the business of secrets, my flower. Of course I knew. And that’s exactly how we’re going to get your brother out so the queen doesn’t do something we will all regret while you’re gallivanting with frost giants.”

“You think she would send him to the harvest?”

“The queen does whatever makes her feel best in the moment. Right now, I’ve won the battle, and she doesn’t like that. She’ll try to strike back at me.”

“Leaving Cosmos in the crossfire…” Unfair, but reality.

He grinned. “Now you get it.” Adder took another swig from the decanter before turning on his heel and placing it back on the buffet. “The night the envoy arrives will be the day we strike. The monarchy will be too busy with the foreign delegates to pay much attention to who is in their dungeons.”

Dahlia filed that information away. Basil would have to get Cosmos out before Adder made his move. It would have to be tomorrow or the day after at the least.

The Giver approached her once more and cupped her cheeks, his skin slightly warmer than her own. “In three days’ time, one of my men will come for you. We’ll need you for a distraction.” His eyes sparkled. “It will be your first big test to see if you can pull off the princess ruse.”

Lia pulled out of his grip, and he winked at her.

“I’ll see you soon, flower. Mind your manners.”

And with that, he walked out of her room, greeting Basil jovially.

Dahlia closed the door behind her, locking it before leaning against the wood. She closed her eyes and thumped her head on the door. There was no way out but through. Through one mistake, Cosmos had thrown them into the fire.

Her brother.

The Giver.

Basil.

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