“Why fear a word? Shouldn’t we celebrate it? After all, it marks the day of my birth.”

The king’s dagger-edged stare softened. “Believe me, I thank the gods nightly that your life was spared that day, but it doesn’t change the fact that my enemies conjure the—the—Nightdawn—there, I’ve said it, are you happy?—as a rallying cry against Finfalla.”

“That’s exactly my point, Father,” Tomas went on. “Without a shred of actionable evidence, Finfalla has been blamed for the deaths within House Echevaria for the last two decades, and that blame has grown ever deeper, ever more potent. I fear our enemies will strike sooner than later, and we must be ready.”

“As you said, our enemies have no proof of what they claim. Until they do, they will be labeled as warmongers by even their own people.”

“And if they find proof?”

“Impossible. The Echevarias were decimated by the plague, nothing more. Not even walls of stone and an entire army of guardsman can protect a man from the illness that has long ravaged our world.”

“I know this, but they don’t. All I’m saying is that I worry about you. I’ll have you know I am not overeager to replace you, Father. I still have too much to learn from you.”

The prince’s every word made Ludo want to gag. While he still held a degree of respect for the king, his son was a silver-tongued worm who believed himself above everyone else, his father included. Ludo had the urge to stride over to him and cut the useless excess fabric away from his elbows. He settled for finding amusement in the absurd color of the shirt, which gave a whole new meaning to the term wallflower.

“Your concern is noted and appreciated, Son, but you have nothing to fear. I have a taster to protect my food from poison. Guards outside my bedroom door. Armed escorts everywhere I go. I’m surprised I’m permitted to use the chamber pot without an audience.” The king chuckled mirthlessly at his own words. “But regardless of my continued mortality, you are more ready than you think, Tomas. Do not repeat the same mistakes I made, in love or life.”

“Love?” Tomas said. “There is no place for love in our world. Only duty. And whenever the day comes that I’m called upon to wear your crown, I swear I shall do my duty with every waking breath.”

“I know you will. Your very existence is a miracle, after all.”

Ludo didn’t know what that meant. Did he mean it in the sense that all creation was miraculous, a gift from the gods themselves? He didn’t think so.

“And yet Mother chose him over me.”

“She didn’t choose, the choice was made for her.”

“Why are you defending her? She betrayed you. And me. And her kingdom.”