“But you only just came,” Lady Bayar protested. “You must be famished. I’ll have Molly bring in a light supper and some of that brandy you like. Don’t forget—the tailors need to meet with you later this morning for your final fitting.”

Micah snatched up the carry bag and thrust it toward his mother. “Put this in the strongbox,” he said. “I shouldn’t be too long.” He turned on his heel and banged out the door.

No doubt on his way to the dungeons, Han thought. And when he found those empty, on to the tunnels. I could follow him and make sure he never comes back. His palm itched for the cold kiss of steel.

But it was too late. The wolf ring conferred on Micah a kind of protection. If there was even a chance Raisa had chosen him, then Han would have to let him be.

If he were to save Raisa’s life, he would need every gifted hand. Gavan Bayar and Fiona were dead. It wouldn’t do to hush someone as magically powerful as Micah.

Micah could be lying to his mother, but why would he? And there was the ring as proof.

Why would she do it? Why would Raisa say yes to Micah after everything that had happened? After she’d said yes to Han?

If it saved the queendom, she would do it in a heartbeat, he thought. The queendom has always come first.

All of Han’s doubts resurfaced, the ones that had been stilled by the night in Hanalea’s garden. Chief among them—would someone like Raisa ever agree to marry someone like him?

To avoid thinking about it, he returned his attention to Lady Bayar. She stood staring at the door, the strap of the carry bag clutched in one fist, her wine in the other. Finally, she tossed back the last of the wine, dropped the bag onto the chair, and stumbled into what Han assumed was her bedchamber.

Han hung there for several minutes until he heard snores emanating from the adjacent room. He dropped silently to the floor. Grabbing up the carry bag, he lifted the flap and looked inside, confirming that Micah had been toting the crown around. Han had what he’d come for, but somehow it didn’t seem important anymore.

Slipping the strap over his own shoulder, Han slid out the door to the corridor. Moments later, he was on his way back to the tunnels.

His streetlord self hoped that he would encounter Micah in the tunnels under Gray Lady—that he would be forced to kill him in self-defense. But he made it all the way back to the entrance on Hanalea without seeing anyone.

C H A P T E R  F O R T Y - S I X

ON THE INSIDE