“This isn’t my home,” I said, my voice as strong and sure as I could make it. I spotted the swords, their handles glistening with diamonds from where they were mounted on the wal, and that helped give me a bit more confidence.

“It sounds as though you’ve brought guests,” Oren ignored my comment. He twirled his glass, watching the wine swirl about in it.

“You’re supposed to wait until your parents go out of town to throw a party.”

“I’m not throwing a party.” I grew irritated with his attempts at humor. “You know why I’ve come.”

“I know why you think you’ve come,” he clarified. He stood up, and in one quick swalow, drained his glass. When he’d finished, he tossed it to the side, making it shatter against the wal. “But if I were you, I would seriously reconsider.”

“Reconsider what?” I asked.

“Your plan.” Oren walked toward me in that same stealth-like gait he always had. “There is stil time to folow through on the terms we agreed to. There is stil time to save yourself and your friends, but not much.

“I’m not a very patient man,” he said, walking around me in a large circle. “If you weren’t my daughter, you would already be dead. I have given you more than I’ve given anyone else. And it’s time you show me some gratitude.”

“Gratitude?” I asked. “For what? Kidnapping me? Kiling my people? Overtaking my kingdom?”

“For letting you live,” he said, his gravely voice behind me, right in my ear, and I don’t know how he got that close to me so fast.

“I can say the same thing about you,” I said, surprised by how even my voice stayed. “I’ve let you live thus far, and I wil let you continue to live. If you cal this off. Let us go. Leave us alone.

Forever.”

“Why would I do that?” Oren laughed.

“If you don’t, I wil have no other choice,” I said as he stroled back in front of me, facing me as I spoke. “I wil kil you.”

“Have you forgotten our deal?” Oren asked, a twisted smile on his lips and something dark sparkling in his eyes. “Have you forgotten what you agreed to when you gave me your kingdom?”

“No, I haven’t forgotten.”

“You’ve merely decided to back out on it?” he asked, smiling wider. “Knowing what it would cost you.”

“It wil cost me nothing,” I said firmly. “I wil defeat you.”

“Maybe you wil.” Oren seemed to consider this for a moment.

“But not until you lose everything.”

“Is this your answer then?” I asked.

“You mean wil I give up, let you and al your friends live happily ever after?” he asked, his tone condescending, but that changed instantly. His face was hard, and his words were filed with venom.