“My father once told me that anger is the hardest emotion to overcome,” she interrupts, keeping her eyes on the floor in front of my feet. “He says that it can make a person blind to everything around them and that people will seek out many ways to diffuse its flames. He also says we do much the same to counter guilt.” She takes a deep breath and plunges on. “I understand why you participated in… that, with me.”

My breath hitches, and her voice breaks slightly. “You were angry with me. I said terrible, terrible things. I felt guilty. We both absolved ourselves in the only way we knew how.”

“Idalia, that’s not—“

“Please.” Her flattened palm is raised to me, but her face is turned away. “I need to get back. I’m sure Teddy is looking for me. I don’t wish to scare her.”

“Sure,” I scoff. “Theodore is who you must get back to.”

“Lachlan, too.” Her words are deflated, as if she’s resigned to my disgust.

“Well, how nice of you to want to go running back to him so soon.” A boiling pit is forming in my gut.

She fumbles, searching for her hairpins on the stone. “Braizen,” she whispers. “You know why we came here. And you know that I’m betrothed to him.”

“Of course, Princess. I know that. So, when you return, do let him know that I’ll be right behind you. Just have to clean the cum off my pants first.”

Her eyes finally meet mine, wide with the faux innocence I once believed. “Oh, don’t worry, Little Sparrow. I won’t tell him that it was your cunt that did it to me.” She winces, but I don’t relent. “Besides, it’s not like I didn’t guess how this would turn out. Soon you'll be the precious Queen of Aeradian, and I have no doubt that you’ll dispatch an army to my Kingdom before I can even step foot out of your new one.”

“Braizen, you can’t be serious.”

“Deadly serious, little one,” I drawl. “You think I haven’t seen the plan all along? I know why your father sent you here. Baelliles doesn’t stand a chance if armies from the North and the Deep come knocking on our door. My Kingdom will be burned to the ground before I can even make it back to the castle. My home will be gone; my titles will be rubbish and my friends…” I choke, then straighten myself. “My friends will have died for nothing.”

“Braizen,” she says in a weak murmur. I see her tears build up, promising to wash over her cheeks.

“Want to know what the real kicker to this is, Sparrow? Do you want to hear the worst part of it all?”