Another summons to the Great Hall made Frederick's stomach gut twist.

Urnald met him halfway there, saying nothing as they continued side by side. He would have heard the rumors of the next act Saebane had subjected him to and know they weren't rumors at all. And still, he stayed by Frederick's side even when he couldn't stand to look him in the eye. Even when Frederick had said he no longer wanted to do anything with him, Urnald continued to stay.

"What is this about now?" Frederick couldn't stop himself from asking.

"I don't damn well know," he replied. "I haven't been summoned by him since I last saw you. I'd hoped you would know something."

"I don't."

Urnald tugged his collar. "Have there been any disagreements between you three? Any altercations."

"None." But what Frederick couldn't bring himself to say was that he'd showed Saebane too much. The results of whatever test the sorcerer was putting him and Arabella through would make themselves known, and Frederick suspected he was about to come face-to-face with the consequences.

"Are you hurt?" Urnald asked quietly.

To that, Frederick had nothing to say.

The guards parted the doors to the Great Hall for them, and they both marched down the carpet toward the thrones where Saebane and Arabella sat. Members of the Spiderweb watched on from their corners of the room, but there were no other courtiers or soldiers in attendance.

Frederick didn't lower to bow, and to his surprise, neither did Urnald. Instead, Urnald's tone held a terseness it never held before when addressing Saebane. "And how may we be of assistance tonight?"

"Ah, there she is."

The guards dragged another person into the throne room, and Frederick's chest tightened. It was the serving woman who wept for Queen Vellore-her daughter in disguise. She was covered in filth, her garment torn, but she didn't show signs of any obvious wounds or beatings. But perhaps that was about to change.

She bore little resemblance to Vellore, so Frederick had hoped and prayed that she would remain undiscovered. How foolish he had been. He had so many things to worry about he hadn't even had the time to consider how he would get Vellore's daughter and her serving women out of the castle. Now the princess would be subjected to whatever evening entertainment was about to commence. Except there was no crowd to witness this.

Yet.

Frederick dared a glance at Arabella, who showed nothing. They both knew she couldn't afford another outburst, so it would be up to Frederick to try and spare her this. "What is happening?"

"This?" Saebane said, waving. "Meet Princess Eviylene-or perhaps you met her already. Heir to the throne of Adora. Nearly escaped my notice in those dungeons. Alas, an oversight that has been rectified."

Yes. Saebane had found out everything. Somehow he found out who the princess really was.

Frederick's heart sped until he thought his heart would explode. "If she's Queen Vellore's heir, then I cannot allow you to subject her to the whims of the court. She is to be a guest here at Thescan."

"Quite right," Saebane agreed. "I am so glad you feel that way, for that's precisely what I had in mind."

Eviylene's bottom lip trembled. The woman was trying to be strong and losing.

"King Frederick," Saebane announced, rising from the throne, "It is my will for Thescan and Adora to be united as one. So allow me to introduce you to your future wife. "

The space turned cold.

Frederick didn't dare look at Arabella. He didn't want to see any panic in her face or worse-he couldn't bring himself to see absolutely nothing at this moment.

"You're not saying anything?" Saebane said. "You do not like my proposed marriage match for you?"

Frederick summoned all the steadiness his voice could muster. "To the contrary, I am honored that you would think of such a wonderful match for Thescan. Is this a trick?"

"This isn't a trick at all."

Frederick lowered into a deep bow before Eviylene. "Your Highness, I-" He felt the inside of him frosting with regret, unable to take his eyes from the floor. "I look forward to becoming acquainted with you better."

"Excellent!" Saebane said. "See, Arabella. I told you this was a splendid idea."

"That you did," Arabella murmured.

So she knew ... She knew what Saebane intended to do.

"Frederick, I trust you will oversee the princess' comforts personally?" Saebane asked. "Visit with her. Court her. You have the week to become acquainted with one another before I would like the both of you to wed."

"A week?" Frederick croaked.

The princess thrashed against guards, hatred burning in her eyes. "I do not consent to this."

Saebane nodded, mock concern furrowing his brow. "Of course. You have the right to be unhappy about this, and you have the right to say no. I would take some time in the dungeons to consider it though, because if this isn't what you want, then I have no further use for you."

Eviylene stopped fighting, the entirety of her body tensing.

"What is the problem, exactly?" Saebane asked. "I can personally attest for how good King Frederick is in the bedroom. He possesses both a talented tongue and a talented cock. You won't be disappointed."

Laughter sounded around the room, and Frederick took another bow to hide the shame burning his neck. It was worth it, he tried to tell himself, but even the picture of Arabella so beautiful beneath him couldn't quell his embarrassment. "Saebane flatters me so. But I don't think a dungeon will be necessary. I can get her to change her mind. All I need is a few minutes alone with her."

Saebane gave a gracious wave. "Then a few minutes you shall receive with her."

Frederick headed for her. "Release my fiancée, please. She is to be a guest, not a prisoner."

The guards unhanded her, her eyes burning with hatred as he neared. "I would rather rot in the dungeons than give in to your-"

Frederick snatched her arm, and in a quick maneuver he had it twisted behind her back. She gave a sharp cry of pain, and he lowered to speak in her ear. "I would also prefer for you to be rotting in the dungeons. But I need an heir of royal blood and I'll have it, one way or another. You've just become the way to get it."

Her eyes widened. "You-you-"

"Frederick, don't you dare manhandle her!" Urnald cried. "That is the heir to the Adoran throne."

Both Saebane's brows raised in what might have been a mixture of approval and disbelief. "I think Frederick has it handled. I'll leave him to it."

"Quite right," Frederick said with a grin that felt painful to him. "Now, let's go."

"No!" Eviylene shouted. "I'm not going anywhere alone with-"

Frederick didn't let her finish, and she was unable to fight him as he dragged her from the room. It took Frederick everything within him to not chance a look back at Arabella.

What was she thinking?

What was she feeling?

"Stay quiet," Frederick instructed as they entered the hallway. "Say nothing to me until we're behind closed doors."

She silenced, but he could still feel the rage wafting from her waves. They reached a nearby study, and he heaved her inside and slammed the door behind them.

"I won't be marrying you," Eviylene said, crossing her arms. "Nothing you say can make me-"

Frederick took the nearest table and overturned it. Books, paper, and stationary all clattered to the floor. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. "Just shut up for a moment so I can think." She fell silent as Frederick began to pace, raking his hands through his hair. "Fuck."

He faced her, finding her eyes round with disbelief. "You're mad."

"I am not trying to force you into this," Frederick said as calmly as possible. "I am just trying to keep you alive."

"The same way you kept my mother alive?"

Frederick crossed the room to her. "I understand you're hurting. I understand this is horseshit. You don't want me, and I don't want you, but we must do anything we can to survive, you understand?"

She raised her chin. "Yes, I've heard exactly what kind of things you're willing to do to stay alive. I will not reduce myself to the same things you do, sir."

He stood over her, glaring into her face. "Then you are a fool. This is not what your mother wanted for you."

"Marrying you isn't what my mother wanted for me either."

Frederick gripped the bridge of his nose and allowed himself several moments to simply inhale as much air as possible. "I will do my best to find a way out of this. I will do my best to spare you from this. I swear it. Even if it means risking my life to spare yours, I'll do it."

Eviylene blinked. "And just what do you intend on doing?"

He shook his head and turned from her. "Leave that to me, but I have a week to figure it out. Just think of a place that's safe for you to hide. Somewhere you can go if I get you out of here. And don't tell me where it is. Don't mention any names. Don't tell me anything that might be used to hurt you because they might be able to force it out of me when it's finished."

"Is this some sort of trick?"

"Do you forget what happened that day at the Battle of Adora?" Frederick snapped. "I begged for her to spare the queen. I begged for her to let all of you get away. I am not your enemy. And she-" His throat tightened. "She didn't want to do that to your mother, Eviylene. It broke her heart. Just like it broke mine." He sank onto the nearest seat and dropped his head in his hands. "What a mess. What a giant, fucking mess. But I will get you out of it. I will."

She didn't respond.

Frederick groaned through his fingers, resisting the urge to rock. "You needn't worry about anything, all right? You don't deserve having a piece of shit like me as a husband. Just promise me that once I get you out of here, you'll become completely unfindable."

The quiet settled over them, and Frederick used the time to think. He hadn't the slightest idea of how he could get Eviylene away from here. He hoped to the gods she had a good enough place to stay hidden. There was only one person he could go to-one person he could trust.

Tessande.

If he could somehow appeal to her kindness-play on the fondness Yessara had for Vellore-maybe he had a chance to get her out of here.

"Frederick." He hadn't heard Eviylene nearing, and now she crouched at his feet. "Don't ... don't endanger yourself. I'm sorry. Truly."

Frederick had always known that Vellore had a daughter, and it was rumored that she had been over-protective of her to a fault. This close to her, he could make out the light dusting of freckles across the length of her nose and cheeks, an unusual feature for skin as dark as hers.

Brave. Intelligent. Gorgeous. Too fine a wife for any man. Vellore was right to have protected her daughter so fiercely, and now Frederick would have to do it for her.

"Why should you be sorry for anything?" Frederick asked. "You're mad. Rightfully so. I'm the one who's sorry. Not only for this but for-" He inhaled greatly. "I'm sorry that I couldn't save your mother. I swear to you that Arabella's sorry, too."

Tears glistened in her dark eyes. Eyes that reminded him of Vellore's. "I shouldn't have taken my anger out on you."

He took her hand. "You are right to be angry, but now you and I must figure out a convincing way to show Saebane that you've agreed to marry me before he puts you back in the dungeons tonight."

Her eyes flitted over the overturned table and items scattered about the floor. "It looks we've come to blows in here."

"My composure has been poor as of late. Please forgive that outburst." Frederick cringed. "I sense his presence nearing. He's coming to check on us."

She yanked him from the settee and pulled him across the room. "Pretend we were in a heated exchange."

"What?"

She pressed her back against the bookshelf and placed his hands on her waist. "Kiss me. Do it now!"

The door opened, and Frederick lowered his mouth to hers. His hands gripped her sides as her fingers scrunched his hair. She kissed him as if her life depended on it, and he supposed it did.

"Just look at them," Saebane said. "I knew Frederick could bring her around. He's downright irresistible."

Ah, gods. Arabella was behind him, watching him kiss another woman. "That he is, my dear. That he is."

Eviylene pushed away from him, her chest heaving. "I'll make your life miserable, you bastard."

Frederick forced himself to smirk as he rested an arm above her head. "If that's what you call misery, then I'll have to insist."

"Asshole!"

"So what's it to be, Princess?" Saebane asked. "Is there to be a wedding?"

Eviylene dragged her gaze from Frederick's and loosed it upon the sorcerer. "What choice have you given me? You've told me I can marry him or die. I don't wish to die."

Frederick's laughter hurt his ears. "As you can see, it's been very hard getting the princess to come around. Bedding her will be no burden."

Her slap stung his face, and her eyes flickered with apology before she steeled her expression back into hatred. "I'm doing this for my kingdom. Not for you."

Frederick rubbed his cheek. "Then you and I are in accord. Should I get down on one knee?"

"Don't bother."

"Excellent!" Saebane announced. "Once you two are wed, you will petition the remaining rulers to give you the Chalice. You two will both drink from it, and once you are both recognized by the gods as the fourth and fifth rulers of the Star, you and the other rulers of the Star will summon the Chalice once more for me. Is that understood?"

The Gentle King's warnings returned to him then. Never drink from the Chalice. Frederick stifled a shiver. "What about Faizere?"

Something darkened in Saebane's expression. "You let me worry about Faizere. He's about to get what's coming to him. You just ensure that your fiancée understands what is expected of her." He looped his arm around Arabella's shoulders and drew her close to his side. "Congratulate the pair of them and come away, my love. We have much to plan."

"Congratulations," Arabella breathed, her smile too wide and eyes too bright.

Frederick stared at the door frame long after they left, wishing sorely that Arabella had never seen him kissing Eviylene. He would have done anything to spare her that.

"Do you love her?" Eviylene asked quietly.

Gods, he loved her so much he didn't know how he would be able to manage the next part. But he would do it for her. He would do what was necessary to give her back her power and finish the sorcerer once and for all. "More than I've ever loved anything. Please ensure that she knows that if ever you get to speak with her one day. After the sorcerer is dead."

"Frederick, you sound like ..." The words died in her throat. "You're not seriously about to put yourself at risk just to save me, are you?"

He forced himself to soften as he faced her. "I'm going to make this right, and we're going to do it together. Just trust me, Eviylene."

She searched his face, attempting to detect the falsehood in his words. Then something shone in her eyes, as if she'd reached a great decision of her own. "Yes, together. You and I will set this right."