I thought about the day we’d met. He must have been so miserable, forced to bring his family into the den of his enemy, into the home of people who’d killed his friends. I thought of how he’d hated it when I’d wormed my way into his home, infiltrating the one place in the world that ought to have been his. I thought of how much anger had passed between us. Where had it all gone? Now he was holding me in the air with such care, I knew if the ground shook the very foundations of this castle, he would still keep me aloft.

People were not their introductions. They were not their lineage or country. They were but themselves. And we had to dig past all the rest to find them.

We finished the dance with a flourish to the applause of the entire room, including the newlyweds. Etan was still holding my hand as he led me away from the floor.

“I haven’t danced like that in ages,” I said breathlessly. “I didn’t realize how much I missed it.”

“You’re telling me Scarlet hasn’t attempted to lift you yet?” he asked in mock disbelief.

“There hasn’t really been an opportunity.”

“Ah, well.” He led me over to a window, and we watched as more couples took to the floor, dancing to something a little bit slower.

“Thank you,” I said.

“For what?” he asked.

“I’m not sure. Maybe everything.”

He chuckled. “Well, you’re welcome, then.” After a long sigh that was still tinted with his smile, he added, “And I’m sorry. For last night. Not sure what came over me.”

I’d been getting into the habit of kissing boys when I oughtn’t.

“Well, it stopped an argument, so bravo. And there’s no need to apologize. It’s been a very . . . eventful trip.”

“And it’s not even over.”

I shook my head, wide-eyed. “Not even close.”

“I’m dying to know what Valentina managed to get ahold of. I suspect Father will read them first.”

“We need to find a way to get her out of the castle. I promised her as much.”

He nodded. “If need be, I can take her to the country myself. If we don’t succeed, the king will never let her rest. If he can find her, he’ll make her pay for leaving.”

“Then we have to make sure he can’t.”

Etan looked at me, all traces of his smile gone. “You have my word.”

And that was more than enough. “Thank you.”

“So, I have a proposition, Hollis.”

“Oh, I’m dying to hear this.” I propped myself up on the windowsill by my elbow, staring at him intently. Did his eyes always have specks of silver in them?

“After everything, all we’ve said and done, do you think we could end this, not as unwilling partners in crime, but friends?” he asked hopefully.

If he had proposed this back in Coroa, or even at Pearfield, I would have leaped from my chair in joy. Now? Now it felt like a lance knocking me from my horse. But Etan and I had very different paths, very different goals.