“I’d like to wear red,” I said, and after a short audit of my wardrobe, she chose a gown. The sleeves were long and loose but gathered at the wrist, and the skirt was layered and warm. The only embellishment was a long gold belt clasped at my waist, the remaining length left to hang down the front of my dress.

The color was stunning and ignited like fire against my brown skin and black hair, which was down, only parted to the side to better accommodate the gold crown Violeta brought to me. While there was nothing simple about its workmanship, it was not embellished with gems or pearls. Instead, the metal had been fashioned into a series of fleurs-de-lis and delicate filigree. The final touch was a set of simple, gold earrings.

When I finished dressing, I chose to look in the mirror, which I had taken to turning toward the wall given that Ravena used them to spy and travel. Despite this, I could not bring myself to destroy it or take it from my room. There was a part of me that wanted a way to communicate with her, as dangerous as it was. Adrian had not been pleased with my decision but had reluctantly agreed. We both knew I was the only potential link to finding her, and I knew eventually she would seek me out. When that time came, I needed a plan, so that I could find The Book of Dis.

There was movement in the mirror, and for a brief moment, I thought Ravena had returned, but it was only Vesna moving into the frame.

“You look beautiful, my queen,” she said.

I looked down at the dress, hoping it would serve the purpose I wished—to capture attention throughout High Council.

I had only attended once, and I had been unimpressed with Adrian’s chosen advisors—all men, save Ana. His men tended to ignore me whenever I was present, or perhaps they presumed as Gavriel had that we were one and the same. In some ways, I understood Adrian was their king and he had chosen them to serve him, but I was their queen, and I intended to be heard, separate from my husband.

I turned my back to the mirror.

“Will you not sit and eat, my queen?” Vesna asked.

“No,” I said. I still wished to find Ana before High Council, and in truth, I was not hungry, and everything she brought still smelled burnt. I did not know if it was grief or if the memory of being burned so long ago lived in the back of my throat.

Despite this, I took a piece of the bread she had sliced open.