‘With a dodgy tummy?’ she says dubiously, raising an eyebrow. ‘Rose, you’re so soft. Your mighty punishment for them trying to murder you is a dodgy tummy?’

‘A really dodgy tummy,’ I say, grinning. ‘Sweats, cramps, vomiting, shakes. It won’t kill them, but it’ll sure as hell make them feel like they’re going to die.’

I’ve not mentioned the argument I heard her and Benny having, nor have I told a soul about Kyor and Elska. I sure am racking up secrets. But the poison doesn’t need to be a secret from Llin. In fact, it feels good to be able to share something with her. And so she comes with me to add the final ingredient, changing the concoction from a deep purple to colourless.

‘All this without magic and spell work.’ Llin sounds genuinely impressed by my skills and I can’t deny the bubble of pride that fills me.

‘I need to get down there now,’ I say excitedly as I pour the now colourless liquid into two glass vials. ‘Oke has a habit of getting up annoyingly early, and this’ll get less potent if I have to wait until later in the week to use it.’

‘Want me to hang around at the top of the stairs and make sure none of them are heading down?’ Llinos offers. ‘I can distract them if needed?’

‘If you’re sure?’ I ask as I pocket the vials. ‘I don’t want you to put yourself at risk.’

She snorts. ‘Wow, careful there, Rose. You’re sounding like your boyfriend.’

I offer her my most withering glare. ‘Not my boyfriend. Jonas is just an old friend.’

‘Who clearly wants to be more.’

I shake my head as I slip on my boots. ‘If we’re dissecting relationships, perhaps I should ask you more about the situation between you and Benny?’ I deflect, only to wince internally as the words slip out.

Llin’s posture stiffens as her eyes narrow. ‘What’s that supposed to mean? What’s he said to you?’

‘Nothing,’ I reply, already regretting the comment. ‘I just mean, I don’t even know how you two know each other.’

‘Yes, you do. We’re both from Brandish,’ she says flatly.

‘Right, but I always thought it was a big city. I certainly didn’t know all the other noble kids growing up here, and it’s not like Jonas knows all the nobles in Wrohelm that well either.’

Her fingers pinch the bridge of her nose and I know she’s weighing up what to tell me. ‘Benny and I are related,’ she says eventually. ‘Distantly through marriage. Not blood.’

‘Ahh, so now the bickering makes sense. You’re family.’ I grin, trying to make light of the matter.

‘We do not bicker,’ she argues, only to change her mind. ‘Okay, yes, we do. But don’t think I didn’t notice how you shifted the subject away from you and Lorathin just now. Please, whatever you’re going to do, do it soon. I can’t deal with another carriage ride filled with longing looks.’

‘There have been no longing looks, and we don’t have time for this conversation. I have to get down to the dining room. Now, are you helping me or not?’

‘I’ve got your back.’

I smile, confident she does.

Just as planned, I leave Llinos at the top of the stairs and head down alone. When I reach the dining hall, a couple of people are already there eating breakfast, including two of the knights and the wind weaver from Galreck. Despite my heart pounding so loudly that I’m sure they can hear it, none of them pay me any attention.

I work swiftly. I’ve already unstoppered the vials on the way down, and as I walk past, I pour a fair dose into each of the water jugs on the Rowell table, grateful they always choose to sit at the table right at the end of the room. I’d prefer to stir it in just to make sure it’s all mixed properly, but given how much I’ve put in there, it’ll only take a couple of sips for them to feel the effects – and fingers crossed, they’ll have a darn sight more than that.

Trying to control the grin that’s spreading across my cheeks, I’m barely halfway to my own table when footsteps echo behind me and a glass clinks. Shit. Someone’s already here, and the first thing they’ve done is pour themselves a drink. My heart ricochets as I realise how close I was to getting caught, but the fear dissolves almost instantly. I didn’t get caught, and I know at least one of the Rowell lot is going to face a not insubstantial punishment for what they did to me.

As a smile rises on my lips, I can’t help but glance over my shoulder, only for my jaw to drop in surprise. It’s not Zara or any of her crew. It’s Kyor. And he’s already emptied what I assume was a whole fucking glass.

Oh shit.

I’m gaping, hands wringing, totally flustered.

He’s topless and glistening with sweat. Without me to slow them down this morning, I imagine he and Zelle have had a heavy workout. As tempting as it is to let my eyes linger on those abs or the concentric circle tattoos, they’re instead drawn to his lips, where moisture glistens, and then to the empty glass in his hand.

‘Is there a reason you’re staring, Thorn?’ he says, arching an eyebrow at me.

‘Nope,’ I manage.

He smirks. He thinks it’s his sexy body that has me gawping at him, and usually he’d be right, but today my stare is panic-filled. What if I did the infusion wrong? If that’s the case, I may well have just poisoned the heir to the throne!

I try my best to appear calm, fighting to keep all the panic concealed inside. Oh this is bad.

‘You fancy a lie-in today?’ Kyor says lightly as he moves from the end table towards me. Once he’s close enough to have a perfectly civil conversation, he continues even further, encroaching on my personal space. It’s enough to draw the air from my lungs. ‘I can picture you, Thorn, tangled up in your sheets.’

‘I … I just don’t normally see you at breakfast, that’s all,’ I stutter out. Smooth, Rose. So smooth.

‘Perhaps I just don’t like being seen,’ he says.

He turns around and strides back to the Rowell table, where he picks up his empty glass, ready to pour himself some more water. Shit. I can’t let him drink more.

‘The second trial,’ I blurt out hastily.

‘What of it?’ His hand moves away from the jug and I try to hide the relief I feel.

‘Are you doing it?’ I ask. ‘Benny told me the priestess gave you a choice in whether you wanted to participate. You’re going to, aren’t you?’

His eyes glint. ‘Why? Worried about facing me out there?’

‘No. Just wondering why you need to prove yourself so much. Daddy issues, I guess, right?’

Amusement flashes in his eyes, and his lips twitch into a smirk. I realise that this time I’ve moved closer to him. And he didn’t miss it.

He’s so close I can smell the fresh sweat and vanilla musk rising from his hot skin.

‘You lack common sense, you know that? Maybe I should find a way to pound some into you.’

My throat instantly dries as I open my mouth, wishing I could think of some sort of witty retort, but literally nothing comes.

That’s part of the problem, I guess. Sharing a dorm has made my sexual frustration way worse, and I swear that’s the only reason why this encounter is making me so unfeasibly wet.

Kyor reaches out and traces a finger around the outside of my lips. ‘That’s a good look for you,’ he says huskily. ‘An open mouth.’

I snap my mouth closed sharply, and he chuckles.

Our moment comes to a close as a voice interrupts us. ‘Great workout this morning, Your Royal Highness.’

My eyes swivel away from Kyor to find Holden standing behind him. Unlike Kyor, who’s glistening with sweat, Holden is dripping. His face is bright pink and from the way his chest is heaving I struggle to believe he was ever an active knight. His wolf must be embarrassed by him. ‘You’ve got excellent technique. And power.’

‘It was a good warm-up for me, too,’ Kyor replies drily.

Holden’s lips purse as he shifts his attention to me. ‘Kultavaris,’ he snarls. ‘Your family always did have a cockroach-like tenacity. Well, they got what they deserved in the end, as I’m sure you shall too.’