“Has it occurred to you that my goals might be different from yours?” Raisa said. “My goal is to bring the peoples of the Fells together. I am not in opposition to the Wizard Council unless they work contrary to me.”

“It is their nature to work contrary to you,” Elena said, jabbing her finger toward Raisa. “Hunts Alone is supposed to be working for us, not—not—”

“Not for me?” Raisa said. “Does that mean that you are working contrary to me?”

“Briar Rose, how can you say that?” Averill said, stricken. “You are my daughter, and we are all Demonai.”

“I am queen first,” Raisa said. “If I dismiss Alister as my bodyguard, I’ll be more vulnerable than ever.”

“I can protect you,” Nightwalker said. “If you would only give me a chance.”

“Nightwalker will be Patriarch of Demonai Camp when Averill is gone,” Elena said. “He is the most capable Demonai warrior alive today. He has proposed marriage to you, granddaughter, and I think you should accept.”

Averill nodded agreement. “Nightwalker has been assisting Captain Byrne’s guards, but he isn’t always on duty. As consort, he can be with you constantly.”

Averill’s words clamored in Raisa’s ears. Suddenly she knew—she didn’t want that. She didn’t want what Marianna had—a sensible marriage. At least Averill had loved Marianna, even if she never loved him back. Raisa didn’t love Nightwalker, and she suspected that his interest in her was more political than personal. She was a means to an end for him—whether it was thwarting the Bayars, influencing the queen, or introducing more clan blood into the Gray Wolf line.

Raisa found it difficult to spend an undiluted afternoon with Nightwalker. She just couldn’t contemplate spending the rest of her life with him.

She looked at her father and grandmother, wishing she could tell them the truth. Wishing that someone could be totally on her side. But even here, even now, she had to tread carefully.

“Reid Nightwalker,” she said, slowly and deliberately, “you have honored me with a proposal of marriage. And I told you at the time that I was not ready to give you an answer. That is still the case. Should you wish to withdraw the offer, we will never speak of it again. Should you press me for an answer now, I would have to say no.”

“Granddaughter!” Elena blurted. “Do not make a hasty decision.”