a P

ell chimed

nding up slowly. "I'm curious. Wh

ars, welling up on command. She dab

ed. "He died saving Gideon's life on the battlefield. Gide

her orphaned life and Gi

e ancient healer wit

throat was entirely calm. When true grief strikes, the pu

y-sweet scent wafted from her clothes, maste

psebloom Pollen-a rare, lethal toxin documented on

oned Gideon's two previou

tly, a microscopic twitch at the corner of her li

unforgiving climate of this castl

c backstory, the subtle threats, th

venomous viper playing house. She had murdere

rning fiercely proprietary. "He's just been through so much

claration that she was the master of this

copic fraction of my dormant, pre

n't reach my eyes. "You must have had your

bloodlines. "But from now on, looking after the Lord is my responsibilit

of raw, ugly jealousy sparked in her watery blue eyes before she cou

avy footsteps echoed on the stone path. Kael, Gide

ur confinement lifted. You are free to move about the ma

" I murmured, my smile sharpen

lefield had shifted to

wn and sat directly at the opposite end of Gideon's empty cha

silently around us,

ared "history" with Gideon, picking up

shing her dominance by casually using my discar

d my mouth with my napkin and turned t

weight of a true sovereign. "I have a few questio

, surprised but respectf

ly, "who, besides the Lord and his fated mate, is

and paused

table is reserved exclusively for the Lord and his lady.

laws of our blood, how should the family of

'Lady Carlisle,' as a sign of absolute re

ntion to Audrey. "Miss Burns, you are sittin

dining hall w

hrown a tantrum. But she was a far more

eyes instantly filled with tears that spilled over her thick lashes.

rd. She aggressively bit her lower lip, looking incredibly fragile and terrified

r head bowed in deep submission. "Let me se

lver teapot. Her hands were "shaking" so violently from her m

tea splashed directly ov

on her hand instantly turned a violent, blist

y cried softly, clutching he

ly pathetic smile at me. "It doesn't hurt... Please don't b

re room

rd gasped in horror, rushing

es pale with panic. As they carefully wrapped Audrey's blistered ha

door--every single one of them looked at m

drey was the sweet, innocent, grieving sister o

onster who had cruelly bullied a g

ftly into the steward's shoulder. Over the old

weeping victim vanished. Her lip

turned the entire househo

nd herself, isolating me completely. If I died

began to set, Audrey appr

s. The terrified girl was gone, replaced by a

spered, her voice drippi

f the castle grounds. There is a cliff there. It offers the most

uards. Just t

on to a murder tra

amber eyes glowing in the dim light. Let th