“There she is,” he said. Malice dripped from his tone and glittered in his eyes. “The royal who understands that her abilities and dominion are life.”

How could he read her so easily? “Has a queen ever not risen from the ashes?”

He gave a clipped nod. “Yes. Many.”

Great! Wonderful! Understanding of abilities and dominion might be life, but working to gain understanding could spell her death. “What happens if I refuse?”

He flinched as if she’d punched him. “I’ll find another princess. She’ll seize the crown and take what’s yours.”

“Give me a moment to deal with my disappointment. An-n-nd done. You can’t miss what you’d never had.” Except—no, no, not another “except.” Too late. Nola’s dark side frothed with fury at the thought of someone—anyone—trying to take what belonged to her.

The weight of Bane’s mighty gaze nearly drilled her into the dirt. “You’re not the only Adwaewethian hybrid on this planet. The others—the males—play host to a hibernating beast. As soon as you complete the Blood Rite, those beasts will awaken. Though they despise you, they will be bound to your will, will die to protect you. Now, imagine it’s another female who does the waking. Afterward, she and her new army will hunt you down and slaughter you—as well as everyone you’ve ever loved.”

Scare tactics, or truth? The truly terrifying thought? It was probably both. “Will I gain a beast?”

“No. Only males are born with a beast, and they are nontransferable. You will have something better. The ability to heal yourself, and your men. The regeneration of my foot was merely a foretaste of your healing potential.”

For a moment, she felt like dancing and singing Disney princess style. No more withdrawal! No more anguished nights and pain-filled days! No more weaknesses! Oh, the temptation. But there had to be a catch. There was always a catch.

As Carrie used to say, The devil doesn’t show up with a pitchfork. He shows up with a lie about your fondest dream.

No matter how desperately Nola wanted to heal, she wouldn’t kill someone to do it, not even an enemy. “I’m confused about your tie to Aveline. She’s your queen, but not your queen, and you both do and do not have to obey her orders?”

A muscle jumped underneath his eye. He gave a stiff nod. “The situation is...complicated.”

“Don’t worry, I can catch up and keep up. So, this royal who you both can and cannot disobey, she ordered you to murder all royals, including me?”

Another stiff nod.

“Well,” she said, tossing up her arms. “How are you able to betray her and help me?”

He slanted his head to the side, features alight with surprised intrigue. What, he’d expected her to be dumb as a box of rocks?