But the truth was a double-edged sword.

“I feel everything I’ve gained has come at your expense,” she said, resting her head on my lap and curling her knees into her chest. My parents had retired hours ago, and the twins had only just left after regaling us with their latest composition. “You aren’t happy.”

“I–”

My tongue froze on the words even as she turned her head to look up, fixing me with a dark frown.

“I’m happy when I’m with you,” I amended.

“That’s not the same,” she said. “And it isn’t good enough. They’re acting like you’re already…”

“Dead,” I finished for her, and because I knew they meant Tristan, I blocked our conversation from any prying ears.

“Yes.”

Her guilt lanced through me, and I let my head fall back until it was resting on the back of the sofa, staring up at the dark ceiling. “He’s being pragmatic, as always. He always plans for the worst. If I die before transitioning the leadership to him, he’ll have a difficult time gaining the half-bloods’ trust, if it can be done at all.”

“There’s a difference between being prepared and being an ass.”

A ghost of a smile turned up the corner of my mouth. “Not in his case. Not in this case.”

She was quiet for a long moment. “This is Anaïs’s influence, I think. If you’d let me talk to him…”

“No.” I straightened. “I don’t want them to know you know.”

“Why?”

Because he’d told me Pénélope was not to be told of our plans. And I was afraid that admitting I’d divulged everything would be the last straw in Tristan’s mind, the final betrayal that would see my eviction from all plots or plans whether I lived or died. “It’s better if they don’t know.” Better for me. “Either way, tomorrow Tristan will take control, and I’ll…”

“You’ll…?”

Her voice was soft and full of sympathy. But I was tired of this conversation. “I’ll have all the time in the world to spend with you.”

She smiled. “How will we fill it?”

Standing up, I lifted her with me. “I have a few ideas.” Then I started in the direction of our bedroom, determined not to give my cousin, the revolution, or anything other than my wife another thought until I had to.

The self-appointed leaders of the half-bloods milled anxiously in the basement of the tavern, most too nervous to do more than pace.

I was no less anxious.

We had false meetings set up all around the Dregs, our human supporters spreading rumors and lies in order to throw spies off our trail, but everyone in the poorest quarter of Trollus knew something was happening. That a revelation was about to occur. A shift in power.

Anaïs and the twins were lingering near the alternate locations, hidden, but making sure the weight of their magic was felt in order to be effective decoys.

I wasn’t sure it would be enough.

Illusion blocked the tunnel Anaïs had carved between this building and the next, but it did nothing to temper the weight of power anyone with an ounce of troll blood in their veins could sense. Tristan was doing what he could to contain his magic, but he was nervous, so it was very nearly a lost cause.