Talia closed her hands into fists so tightly that her nails cut her palms. “I think I hear the Brat speaking,” she replied. “The little bitch who wants all the glory of being the Heir, but none of the responsibilities. Oh, Hulda taught you very well, didn’t she? Grab and take—snatch all you can, think only of yourself, and never mind what repercussions your actions may have on others. Others don’t matter. Oh, no, not now that you’re Heir. After all, your word is law, right? Or it should be. And if somebody tries to make you see reason, well, dredge up the worst you can about them and throw it in their faces—then they’ll be afraid to try and stop you from doing what you want. Well, that doesn’t work with me, young woman. For all the importance it has, I could be sleeping with men, women, or chirras, because I’m not the Heir. You seem to have conveniently forgotten that you will sit on the Throne when your mother dies. You may have to make a marriage of state to save us from a powerful enemy. That was what this business with Alessandar and Ancar was all about, or have you forgotten that, too? No one will want you or respect you outKingdom after dallying with a petty schemer like he is. And I, at least, have never been intimate with anyone that I didn’t know, and who wasn’t willing to let me inside his thoughts. He wouldn’t let you do that, would he? Didn’t that make you the least bit suspicious? Lady’s Breasts, girl—where was your mind? Your own Companion wouldn’t have anything to do with him! Didn’t that tell you anything? If you’re so hot to have a man between your legs, why the hell didn’t you choose a fellow student or someone from the Circle? They will at least never betray you and they know when to keep their mouths shut!”

Elspeth burst into frantic tears. “Go away!” she wailed. “Leave me alone! It wasn’t like that at all! I thought—I thought—he loved me! I hate you—I never want to see you ever again!”

“That pleases me very well,” Talia snapped. “I’m ashamed that I wasted so much of my time trying to help a damned fool.”

She stalked out of the barn, vaulted onto Rolan’s back, and returned to the Palace without a backward glance.

But before she was halfway there, she was already rueing half of what she had said.

She reported to Selenay in an agony of self-accusation.