“I’m not forcing my Silence to do anything,” Mars drawled. “Mia bellezza made her choice and wielded her own dagger rather than running from the fight. She makes her choice now, seeing this matter through to the end, instead of hiding in her chamber. If I did not know differently due to the color of her skin and the stature of her frame, I would think she was Firenz.”

True studied his cousin as she sat silent in the lap of her betrothed.

She did not worry her lip, wring her hands or appear anxious, agitated or disturbed in any way.

She also did not seem relaxed and at her ease.

She simply seemed… dignified.

Or as dignified as a being could be, sitting in an enormous man’s lap.

This sent True’s gaze to the Firenz barons and chieftains.

At what he saw, he almost smiled.

Silence, enduring what she’d endured that night, sitting in a bloodstained nightgown in a barbarous king’s hold, crafty enough to use this moment to advance her station.

That was his cousin.

Nobody’s fool.

Fit to be queen.

Yes, he almost smiled.

True’s thoughts were turned from this when Aramus spoke.

“I will know vengeance, Mars.”

“What is your wish?” Mars asked, his tone no longer swaggering, but conciliatory.

“How many were caught?” Aramus asked.

“Seven,” Lorenz answered.

“My men and I will have three,” Aramus decreed, and Ha-Lah, who was already close to her husband’s side, got closer and took his hand.

Aramus’s fingers wrapped tight around his wife’s. Too tight. True saw it. She winced at the pain.

But she said nothing.

“You shall have your pick,” Mars murmured.

True turned again to Mars. “The snakes were another matter.”

True saw the lick of flame in Mars’s eyes before it extinguished, and he inclined his head.

“Is their aught known about that?” True asked.

“Nandra tried to trace the magic,” Lorenz answered. “She failed. It’s cloaked.”

“Leave us,” Mars ordered abruptly.

His attention was on his barons and chieftains.

True stepped out of the way as the men started to file out, and Mars commanded, “You ride in procession to the pits behind me and your future queen.”

He received nods and chin lifts before the men disappeared behind the door.

“You leave us too,” Mars demanded.

That, True noted, was directed to his mother and father.

“Just us?” Mercy asked.

“You and Gallienus. Yes,” Mars answered.

“Whyever would we alone be left out?” True’s father queried peevishly.

“You are neither soldier nor witch nor directly involved in the vanquishing the Beast,” Mars answered.

“We represent Wodell,” Wilmer returned.

“So does your son, far better than you. Now, I explained why you are to leave my study, when I did not need to. Don’t test my patience further. There are things to do and one of them is not answering to you,” Mars replied.

“I—” Wilmer began.