She watched me with that calculating expression, lounging back in her chair. Her dense black lashes lowered across the metallic silver of her eyes as she regarded me, and the faintest trace of a pleased smile touched the corners of her eyes and mouth. "What do you think of my son now?" the Queen asked, something like idle amusement in the words.

I contemplated for a moment, looking for something that would please a woman who would have her son beaten because of his appearance. She could put me in a world of danger, and Dain deferred to her. I didn't know if he'd defy her for me, not when there was no guarantee we would be friends in the end, and I wasn't willing to bet my life on it. "I think it's remarkable that your majesty can command him with ease," I said. "He doesn't strike me as a man who accepts the authority of many."

The Queen laughed, a pleased sort of sound, as if I was a pupil who'd given a clever answer to a difficult question. "The gods' children find it difficult to bow their heads, but even he cannot defy my authority."

The desire to snarl at her rose up behind my teeth, and I strangled it with prejudice. I could not piss off the Queen. I wanted to live, and that meant being amusing and providing some visible opposition to the crown prince. I made myself slouch into a sultry position, resting my head on one hand, and smiled at her. "I don't suppose you would share your methods."

"Soulmates don't command each other," she said with another laugh, treating me like a pet who'd done something silly, the way I talked to my cat when he got stuck on the curtains. "There can be no rulership in a relationship between perfect matches. Why do you think you're a princess, sweet human girl?"

"Alas," I said, holding onto my smile. "I'll have to deal with him the usual ways, then."

"Come to me if you decide you need a blade," the Queen said with her deadly smile. "I will give you a beautiful one, made of iron and chased with gold. A crown prince shouldn't die on the edge of a common dagger."

My skin went cold, the hairs on my arms raising at the casual malice in her voice. "Why bother with keeping him your heir if he ought to meet a beautiful end?" I dared, trying to sound nonchalant instead of terrified.