“Where do I go?” one of them asked. “What do I do?”

“Don’t rightly care,” the guard responded, cracking a staff across the man’s shoulders. “Move.”

The man stumbled away, mouth opening and closing like a fish. “Where do I go? Where do I go?” He looked right at me, and I averted my eyes, but not before I noticed that his clothing was singed, his hands red with burns.

“Next!”

There was no one left in front of me. I stepped inside.

My eyes took a moment to adjust to the dimness, sunspots dancing across my vision as I moved forward, bumping into the woman in front of me.

A platform had been constructed where I expected the bar had once stood, and, on it, Roland perched atop a large overstuffed chair, his feet swinging back and forth just above the floor. There was a man on his knees in front of the platform, and Lessa stood next to him, mostly hidden by the crowd. “Repeat exactly what I say,” she ordered. “I, your name, swear fealty to Prince Roland de Montigny, and promise to obey his summons and commands for as long as I live.”

“I, your name,” the man whispered, and Lessa kicked him in the ribs.

“Say your name, you idiot.”

Weeping, the man complied, and when he’d finished, Roland reached over to pat him on the head like a dog.

The next person was shoved forward, but before Lessa could speak, the guard I’d compelled approached. Bowing, he set the tray on the table next to the young troll. Roland seemed so innocent from afar, cheeks curving with delight at the sight of Victoria’s sugar creation. He plucked the dessert from the tray and snapped off piece of the lattice, popping it in his mouth.

Crunch, crunch, crunch. I imagined the sound of his perfect white teeth chewing the sugar, and I tensed, drawing magic up from the earth even though I wouldn’t use it – all the power I needed was in that little crimson globe clutched in Roland’s pale fingers.

He snapped off another piece of lattice. Crunch, crunch, crunch.

My breath was coming in short little gasps, my heart pounding so loud I was surprised those around me couldn’t hear it.

Was I close enough?

Would it work?

Roland lifted the globe to his lips, licking the smooth sugary surface.

Then the guard spoke and Roland froze, all semblance of innocence falling away as the monster peered out, eyes flicking to the man who had stolen one of his treats. I clenched my teeth together, my skin burning hot and cold as I desperately wished I could undo what I’d said. That I could take it back.

Snap. The man’s head twisted in a full circle, and for a moment, he stood as he was. If not for the peculiar cant of his neck and the blankness in his eyes, it would have seemed as nothing had happened, for no one had moved. Then Roland smiled and blew a whimsical puff of air his direction, and the guard collapsed.