Fie caught her breath. To her astonishment, her eyes pricked with tears. She hadn’t expected the prince to own to it. To fight her, to whine, to dodge, to deny—all likely. She didn’t know why hearing him admit it shook her so.

Jasimir ran his hands over his face. Then he got to his feet and stalked off into the trees without another word.

When he came back, it was with an armful of fallen branches. Some had dried out enough to hold a flame, but others still showed green at the heart of their splinters, the leaves barely wilted. “I need the cooking pot and a fire.”

Fie blinked at him, hackles rising again at his imperious tone, but she kept silent and yanked open her own pack, pulling out the cooking pot.

He snapped the larger branches in twain and set about stacking them with methodical precision into the tidiest pyramid of firewood Fie had ever seen, a feat double impressive considering she burned bodies for a living. Jasimir rocked back on his heels and looked at her, impatient.

He’d built the green branches into the stack. Amateur. “That wood won’t light with just a flint,” Fie said.

“You’re the one who can start fires out here, remember?” the prince snapped. “Not me.”

“I don’t have Phoenix teeth to waste on every little thing,” Fie said. “I won’t squander one on a campfire. Find better firewood, or we don’t get dinner.”

“You go find it. You’re the one who won’t burn a tooth.”

Sparks caught on a different kind of tinder. Fie threw down the cooking pot. “Apologies if I won’t give up more on your account—”

“Apologies if extorting me had consequences,” Jasimir retorted. “You knew I was vulnerable, and you took advantage of that to drag me into an oath that could very well tear this kingdom apart.”

Fresh fire spiked up Fie’s backbone. “Don’t act like you didn’t invite this. If your scum-hearted father had done his job—”

“Don’t talk about my father like that.” Jasimir glowered. “You have no idea what it’s like.”

“I see it every time I use one of your miserable teeth!” Fie’s empty belly rumbled. “Aye, I’ve seen how you Phoenixes live. All the food you want, all the clothing, the wisest scholars to tutor you, the strongest Hawks to watch your walls, and the prettiest gentry to kiss your asses.”

Jasimir got to his feet, livid. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. I can’t just force the nobility to do what I want. They’re already going to try to beggar their towns with new taxes and claim that it’s to pay for your Hawk escorts. I can’t fail my people like that.”