“Sounds like bossy from where I’m sitting.”

“Must be the acoustics in the cab.” He smiled as he kissed her frown-wrinkled forehead. “Sweetheart, you’re exhausted. We’ve paid a courtesy call to Zhara and been seen in several shops today. That’s enough. You need to rest.” He paused. “Hell’s fire, I need to rest.”

She considered that for a moment. “What did you have in mind?”

Several things, but he’d take them in order. “Tucking into the sitting room for the rest of the afternoon. If you’re a good little witch and nibble on some food to make up for what you didn’t eat at midday, I’ll read to you.”

“That’s bribery,” Jaenelle grumbled.

“And your point is?”

“It’s a good bribe.”

Daemon grinned, then looked out the window when the cab stopped. “Streets are crowded today.”

“What else is on your mind?”

He sighed. Of course she’d noticed his preoccupation at the last two shops they’d visited. Taking her left hand in his, he dropped the sight shield on his wedding ring for a moment. The brief sight of it warmed him, soothed him.

“Maybe we should let this go,” he said quietly, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand.

“Someone tried to ruin your reputation and isolate you socially from the rest of the Blood,” Jaenelle pointed out.

“Someone wanted you to turn away from me. You didn’t. Nothing else matters.” The cab started forward. “I don’t give a damn if the Blood in Amdarh accept me or not.”

“If someone wants you enough to hurt you—”

The driver cried out. The horse screamed and bolted.

Daemon had enough time to throw a Black shield around both of them before the horse veered sharply. The sound of wood snapping . . .

“Air!” Jaenelle shouted.

... then the cab tipped, crashing on its side before continuing a sickening flip with unnatural speed until it smashed against walls of power.

The inside of the cab was a dazzle of colors—Green, Rose, Summer-sky, Purple Dusk, Red, Sapphire.

As the cab came to rest, Daemon blinked to clear his vision. The colors danced around them a moment longer before they faded—and he realized they were floating in the middle of the cab. He had automatically created a tight, defensive shield that would have protected them from invasive harm, but they would have been thrown around the inside of the cab. Jaenelle’s bubble shield had provided a better cushion.

Shattered glass and thrusting spikes of broken wood littered the cab’s roof, which was now beneath them.

He wasn’t aware he’d risen to the killing edge, wasn’t aware of the freezing rage flooding him until Jaenelle said quietly, “Leash it, Prince. They just want to help.”