“She is not gifted, Your Majesty. I wondered why she was traveling with them.”

Montaigne restored his sword to its scabbard, not bothering to wipe off the blood. Raisa kept her head down, peering up through her lashes at the prince of Arden. He toyed with the hilt of his sword, his lower lip caught behind his teeth.

“Well,” he said finally, “let’s have a look at you.” He reached toward Raisa and tugged back her hood.

Raisa lifted her head, and their eyes met. They stood staring at each other, and then Gerard Montaigne smiled in his bone-chilling way. Raisa’s heart plummeted.

“Ah, Karn,” he said softly. “You have overlooked the greatest prize of all.”

Karn looked from Raisa to Montaigne. “What do you mean, Your Grace? Who is she?”

Montaigne kept his eyes fixed on Raisa’s face. Taking hold of her hand, he raised it to his lips. “Princess Raisa ana’Marianna,” he murmured. “Welcome to the new kingdom of Arden.”

Karn looked from Raisa to Montaigne. “She’s a princess?”

Montaigne nodded. “We met at her debut party nearly a year ago. She is heir to the throne of the Fells.” His eyes raked over her. “She was dressed quite differently last time I saw her, but there’s no mistaking her.” His grip tightened about her wrist. “But why would the princess heir of the Fells ride through Tamron with wizardlings?”

Raisa knew there was no point in continuing to deny her identity. “I’ve been attending the academy at Oden’s Ford,” she said. “I’m traveling home for the summer.”

Montaigne shook his head incredulously. “The Fells would send a gently bred woman through Tamron with no more guard than this?” He gestured toward the Bayars and the Manders.

“Tamron is not at war, Your Highness,” Raisa said, looking him in the eye with a confidence she did not feel. “I would not expect to be waylaid by brigands along the way.” She nodded toward Wil’s prone body. “You’ve already murdered one member of my guard. Now that you know who I am, I expect you will allow us to continue on our journey unmolested.”

Montaigne smiled, his face lighting with triumph. “Ah, no, Your Highness,” he said. “That’s much too risky, as you’ve seen.” He jerked her toward him, cupping her chin in his hand. “I think it’s time we continued our conversation about an alliance between Arden and the Fells—an alliance cemented by our marriage.” He smiled. “I’ll have Tamron, Arden, and the Fells. All the riches of the mountain mines and access to an unlimited supply of jinxflingers and magical objects. Eventually we’ll rule the Seven Realms.”

“That will never happen,” Raisa said, lifting her chin.