“Oh? Who should I be wary of?” Raisa said. “Han Alister saved my life in Marisa Pines Pass. And you? Let’s see—you bewitched me at your name day party, tried to force me into a marriage, and then kidnapped me from school. Not a great record.”

Micah looked down at his hands. “I’ve tried to explain, but it’s like you don’t hear me.” His voice tremored slightly.

“I believe what I see.”

“Do you?” Micah straightened. “Then take a hard look at Alister. I see a whole different side of him. I think he’s the one who’s bewitched you.” He stood. “I should go.”

Raisa stood as well, frustrated with the turn the conversation had taken. “You have no reason to act as if I’ve been leading you on,” she said in a low, fierce whisper. “You told me I’d be safer if I allowed you to court me in public. I told you the rules when I agreed to play this game.”

“It’s not a game,” Micah said. “Not for me.” He inclined his head. “Your Majesty.”

C H A P T E R  T H I R T E E N

AT CROSS-
PURPOSES

When Han met with Crow after the Wizard Council meeting, Crow seemed moody and uncommunicative—more so than usual. He paced back and forth, distractedly pushing his fingers through his hair while Han described his journey through the tunnels.

“The passages were intact, then,” Crow said, swinging around to face him. “There was no evidence they had been breached during my absence?”

Han shrugged. “Hard to tell. There were some magical barriers you never mentioned. Still, I don’t see how anyone could have gone in that way without coaching from you. Even with your help, disabling the barriers burns a boatload of power.”

“As it is intended to,” Crow said, looking momentarily pleased, as if his unbreachable tunnels were a kind of legacy for a wasted life.

“It’s not looking good on the council,” Han said. “Right now, Bayar has the votes to win, since he casts the tiebreaker.”

Crow had to point out one more time that had Han gone along with his plan in Aediion, the two Bayar offspring would be dead, and so no trouble at all.

Han bit back a nasty retort. He wasn’t in such a good mood himself. He’d always had confidence that he could find a way to win in any fight, but just now he couldn’t see a path that would lead him there. He’d be nothing more than a temporary bump in the road for the Bayars’ ambitions.