Page 58 of A Dagger of Ice and Intrigue

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I dared another look at myself in the window.

That wasn’t the truth.

Thatcouldn'thave been the truth.

The Commander’s lies were poisoning my mind.

In the maze, all the Protectorate members listened to me, without question, even with their lives on the line.

When the Blood Brotherhood had crashed the wedding, they’d looked toward me for instructions.

Not my father.

Not fucking Silas.

Not even Uncle Maksim.

Me.

And nobody–no Commander, no Council, not even the gods themselves–could shake that truth away from me.

My reflection in the frozen glass changed.

The light was still gone from my eyes, but my face changed.

My eyelids narrowed into slits.

My lips tightened.

My Vegheara chin jutted out.

Maybe I wasn’t the First Daughter anymore, a title I’d inherited only by birthright and a technicality after Evie had gone missing.

But I would always be The Huntress.

I’d earned that title through personal losses nobody saw and bloody wounds I pretended didn’t hurt.

Allie could mourn everything she had lost and fret over what other obstacles she had to face.

But The Huntress couldn't afford to.

Through nothing but sheer will, I pulled myself upright once more, looking at my reflection like it had insulted me.

I couldn't keep doubting myself. Not now.

I had to survive.

My location was probably hidden from the Protectorate.

Nobody was coming to save me.

It was time I saved myself.

I wasn’t staying here, lies or not.

If I had to scratch and claw my crown and my Clan’s protection from Silas, I would.

The Protectorate would fall apart under his reign.

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