He was across the room from me, his arm propped on the table, hand covering his mouth, silent. He had been like that since we had returned from Cel Ceredi.

We both knew the consequences of what Solaris had done. Our people would start to look to Solaris for protection and not their king. He had been smart to hide his abilities, to reveal them strategically, though I worried over that too. Who else would Solaris attempt to resurrect before we knew the consequences?

“We should have never let him stay,” I said.

Adrian’s jaw ticked. “Do you intend to lecture me?”

“It is too late for that, don’t you think?”

He slammed his hand down on the table and stood.

“Fuck!”

He began to pace, predatory in the way he moved.

“I will have to make him into a noblesse,” he said.

I sat up straighter. “Why would you do that?”

“He has left me little choice in the matter,” Adrian said. “At least if he is a noblesse, he is seen as part of my circle. If he remains separate, he is a threat.”

“I thought we agreed that you would not take on noblesse based only on their usefulness.”

“We agreed to nothing,” he said. “You gave your opinion.”

“Which you clearly did not value enough to consider.”

“Value has nothing to do with it,” he said. “This is political, Isolde. Solaris has publicly petitioned to become a noblesse, he has already created division, and tonight he illustrated an ability that goes beyond any power I possess. Our people will not understand why I would deny him.”

“Your decision to turn him would be rash,” I said. “We do not know who Solaris truly is or what he wants. He may claim to have powers granted by Dis, but there are always consequences to resurrecting the dead. If you wait, Solaris will destroy himself.”

“And what do we do until then?” he snapped, standing. “Let our people follow like sheep to the slaughter?”

“You have had no problem waiting when it comes to my people,” I said. “I suppose it only matters when your reign is being threatened by a man who has more power than you.”

Adrian turned toward me fully, and the force of his anger took my breath away.

“You had better hope he is not more powerful than me,” he said, and he took deliberate steps toward me, caging me with his hands on the headboard. “Because there is no one else here to protect you.”

I tried to slap him, but he gripped my wrists, and I did not think I was imagining the white rim around his eyes flashing bright with malice.

“Not this time, my sweet,” he said, and his mouth slammed against mine. His kiss was bruising and rough, and I tore away from him.

“I think you should stop,” I said.