Aware of the tremble in my hand, which is thankfully absent of the tingle of magic, I step in through the doorway.

The music screeches to an abrupt halt, gasps rattle through the air, and hands fly to mouths at the sight of me.

My throat constricts, and I feel sick as I take in the assembled courtiers, all in their finest gowns, with nothing more than sparkling eyeliner and garish lipstick on their mouths. There is not a painted sigil in sight.

‘By the Gods, Rose,’ Zara speaks into the stunned silence. ‘I can’t believe you’d disrespect the Eastern Isles so much as to turn up to a ball ready to offer violence. That’s unbelievable. But then, what can we expect, letting a slum rat take part in the Retterheld?’

Anger pulses through me and it takes serious restraint on my part not to draw the blade she gave me and throw it into her treacherous, conniving little heart. I curse myself for being an idiot, for believing – even for a second – that she could ever show me a drop of respect.

‘I think it’s bad-ass,’ a young girl announces loudly, breaking the hush of the hall.

I turn to look at her, and my breath catches in my throat. I know without being told who she is. Carys, Llin’s little sister.

‘Absolutely bad-ass,’ Benny agrees loudly as he moves to join me.

A murmur turns into unfettered conversation as people begin talking among themselves. Still, I’m sure my face has never been redder.

‘Okay. This was not what I expected you to be wearing,’ Benny says as he sidles up beside me.

‘Zara.’ The one-word growl is all I need to explain my situation. ‘Is this … should I go back and change? Wash off the sigils?’

‘And give her the satisfaction?’ He snorts. ‘No, don’t worry. I’ve got this.’ He clears his throat and all eyes turn from me to him, every whisper and chatter disappearing. Huh. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, may I present my dearest friend and a most formidable warrior – who, as her face betrays, takes her work rather seriously – Rose Kultavaris. She is, regrettably for our enemies, the reason your earl still breathes this evening.’

Another gasp rolls from the guests. This one has the slightest hint of awe mingled in.

‘Earl?’ I mutter in shock. Sure, I knew Benny was nobility. Rich nobility. But there’s something about the way he said his title that held gravitas.

‘My mother is the Duchess of the Eastern Isles,’ he tells me. ‘Her ruling over the kingdom is⁠—’

‘Second only to King Korvane,’ I finish for him, as the pieces finally slot into place.

‘Speaking of which … looks like you definitely caught someone’s eye with that outfit of yours.’

My eyes are drawn across the room to where Kyor’s standing staring at me, lips apart, as if he’s in shock. As if I’m the most mesmerising thing he’s ever seen. Which is ridiculous, because compared to him, I’m nothing.

Only as I smile does his expression flicker, and a grin takes hold of that perfect mouth of his as he strides across to me.

‘Your Royal Highness,’ Benny says formally with a dip of his chin.

‘Lord Benaris,’ Kyor responds just as politely before turning to me. ‘I’m guessing from the glowers that this look of yours is courtesy of our friend from Rowell.’

I huff. ‘I don’t know why I believed a single thing she said to me.’

‘Because you’re trusting and want to think the best of people. And that’s not a bad thing.’

‘Right now, I feel like it is.’

‘You have to give it to her that it’s a bit more inventive than her normal stab-you-or-set-you-on-fire approach,’ Benny counters.

‘Yeah, maybe,’ I say. ‘She gave me one of her daggers and everything. I’ll use it when I stab her through her heart.’

He snorts.

‘Well, it’s good to see you up. Any chance you’ve got it in you to meet a couple of people before you get out of here?’

I know exactly who he’s talking about, and the answer is a resounding no. Kyor puts his arm around my waist in a show of support.

‘If you want, I’ll be with you the entire time,’ he says, shooting Benny a look that says there’s no point trying to disagree with him.

I nod, knowing there’s no real way out of this. ‘Okay, I’m ready.’

Both men brace me as we walk further into the room, Kyor holding me steady and helping me ignore all the eyes following my every step.

‘If I tell you they’re staring because you’re beautiful, would you believe me?’ Kyor whispers.

‘No. But I appreciate the effort.’

‘Well, I’m staring because you’re beautiful. How about that?’

Some people are talking now, returning to their conversations, but I can’t help casting another look at Zara. Her smug smile has been replaced by a scowl. She’s clearly less than impressed that I’ve overcome this problem so quickly. Still, I shift my daggers further around my waistband so they’re not quite so visible.

‘Rose,’ Benny says, coming to a stop. ‘This is my grandmother, the Dowager Duchess.’

The woman in front of me is dressed in a dark silver gown that’s almost the exact shade as her hair, the sapphire- and emerald-encased tiara on her head looking almost like a crown. Something tells me this is the type of woman you curtsy to, and so I do, though with just a small bend of my knee.

‘I’m truly very pleased to meet you,’ I say in all honesty.

Her smile tightens slightly as her gaze shifts to Kyor at my side before coming back to me. ‘I hear I should be grateful to you for keeping my grandson alive.’

‘I believe we have both kept each other alive,’ I reply truthfully. ‘I am sure I would not be here without your grandson, and the other islanders, who I also counted among my friends.’

She nods at that, looking pleased. ‘Then you are blessed by the Gods to have found one another. I am extremely proud of all our men and women who answered Etta’s call. Ultimately,’ she says, looking pointedly at Kyor, ‘it is only the Gods that we should answer to.’

Benny grimaces and drops his voice once more to offer an explanation of his grandmother’s acerbic comment. ‘My grandmother’s great-grandfather was the ruler who sought a unification with Morathka,’ Benny tells me. ‘Before then, we were an independent kingdom.’

‘I wasn’t aware that the Eastern Isles were ever independent,’ I say in surprise.

The Dowager sniffs. ‘King Korvane treats truth like an optional accessory – splendid when it suits him, conveniently absent when it doesn’t.’

Tension ripples through the air, yet no matter how uncomfortable I’m starting to feel, Kyor remains completely relaxed.

‘I would happily take back with me any documents or books you feel our records may be missing.’ He smiles. ‘It has been lovely to chat with you again, Dowager. I hope to see you on the mainland soon.’

She sniffs again. ‘A pretty face and tight arse aren’t enough to win me over, young Kyor. You can tell your father that too.’

‘I’m sure my father would be honoured to hear you think he still has a tight arse,’ Kyor replies without missing a beat. ‘Now, if you don’t mind, I believe there are some other people Rose has been hoping to speak to. It’s been a pleasure, Dowager.’

Despite herself, I see a flash of amusement cross her face, followed by consternation. I get that all too well. I hated Kyor once upon a time too, but his charm – and other parts of him – won me over.

I offer a fumbled farewell and another curtsy before leaving the Dowager.

‘You know, for someone who insists they’re nothing like their father, you can sure be a prick like him,’ Benny mumbles to Kyor when he catches up with us a moment later.

‘Really? I thought I was just accepting compliments.’ Kyor smirks back.

Benny leads us to a small room off the ballroom, where a woman and a young girl who need no introduction are waiting. It’s the girl who was brave enough to call me bad-ass in front of the whole court. Llin’s baby sister.