“Well, I think it’s great that you’re with Keryth. What better way to right past wrongs than to unify the two kingdoms?” With the glass in her hand, she sweeps her arm over the ballroom. “In time, they’ll all forgive you.”

What?

“Forgive me?” I tilt my head. “For what? What past wrongs are you referring to?”

“The attack on King Kallum and Queen Veena. You were just an infant then. You had nothing to do with it.”

It feels like my heart stops for a second, then starts up double time. Blood is rushing to my head when I ask, “Are you saying the Day Realm ordered their deaths?”

Tehya blinks at me. “You… didn’t know?”

Of course I didn’t know. If I had, I probably never would’ve ridden along for the trade deal in the first place. I would’ve been too scared, thought it to be too dangerous.

“My parents killed Keryth’s parents?” I’m dizzy. The room suddenly spins, and the judgmental faces become a blur.

No wonder everyone hates me. Here I thought it was just a rivalry thing. This is way more than that.

It’s murder.

Gently supporting me by my elbow, Tehya’s expression is apologetic. “I’m so sorry. I thought you knew.”

“Are you—are you sure?” I rasp out the question.

She swallows hard. “Afterward… it’s rumored that a spy saw a letter ordering the ambush, but he never made it back to tell King Keryth. He managed to send a messenger sprite instead, but he’d been tortured badly, and his words were difficult to make out.”

Suddenly losing my appetite for wine, I walk over to a nearby table and set the glass down.

All the times Keryth talked about how much he missed his family and how sad he was… The devastating conversations merge together in my head. The entire time he was confiding in me, he knew I was to blame. I feel foolish and a little betrayed. Keryth kept this from me. On purpose. Never once did he mention the Day Realm’s involvement.

And he allowed me to walk into this ballroom blind. Unprepared for the loathing these people feel for me.

I feel sick. I press a hand to my roiling stomach when I remember my own parents. Growing up, I knew Father had a ruthless side, but Mother was his opposite. Sweet and gentle. She balanced him out.

It’s hard for me to imagine her being okay with an ambush of the late king and queen, but Father wouldn’t have done it without her permission.