“I think you will find that I can do whatever I please,” the king said, his voice as cold as ice and laced with threat. Two gloved fingers rose from the arm of his throne, and before I could anticipate his next move, my arms were yanked behind me, cold metal hooked over both my wrists. Shackles. I panicked, but it was no use. The restraints clicked into place, and I felt my magic weaken to a faint shimmer.

If it hadn’t been for the guard’s grip on my hair, I would have doubled over. The energy draining from my body left me grappling at consciousness. I was almost grateful for the bastard who kept me upright. The king did not deserve to even pretend I’d thrown myself at his feet.

“Why are you doing this?” I demanded, slurring the words through my fangs. “What harm have I caused? I’ve done all that you asked. I’ve been a loyal subject, a friend. I have⁠—”

“You had notions of breeding with a human, of bringing it through the Veil.” The words dripped like venom off his tongue. “I will not have my kingdom polluted with filth.”

“She is not—” I gritted my teeth, stifling the protective instincts clawing at my belly. It would not benefit my cause to show anger. “I didn’t bring her back. We haven’t even bonded, so how can you say⁠—”

“You planned to.” He cut me off again, his fingers flexing so subtly I almost missed the crack in his composure. “You think I am ignorant of your purchase of land, your hopes to take your human pet there?”

I barely suppressed the hitch of breath in my throat, my chest tight.

My journal. I thought I had been careful. I thought I had locked away my flyaway thoughts and innocent fantasies of our future together. Mentions of a home I had wanted to one day make our own, but knew it would doubtless never be. None of it had been plans set in motion, only the delusions of a lovesick male and impulsive decisions with no real conclusions, but he had found them.

How could I have been so careless?

“Th-that is speculation.” My courage wavered, though I hadn’t an abundance of it to begin with. “You can’t punish me for⁠—”

“You forget that I know you.” He leaned forward, a hint of smugness creeping into his demeanor. “You lose yourself to flights of fancy. You forget your place. I already refused your appeal to remove the ward once before. Do not believe me a fool.”

“You were the one who ordered the Veil open,” I argued lamely, the heavy shroud of anxiety making my voice shake. “You were the reason I was in the human realm in the first place. I would not have met her otherwise, and now you’re punishing me by taking it all away?”