‘You’ve been avoiding me and I’m terribly impatient.’

Tonight, she wore black, harsh against her skin yet jarringly beautiful.

‘Yes, well, some things have happened that have demanded my attention.’

‘Like a new courtship, I hear.’

‘How did you –?’

‘The joyous betrothal of the most infamous houses in Eriobis?’ Ashes laughed, looking around the room. ‘News like that spreads to even the darkest of places, princess.’

‘I didn’t choose this,’ Sapphire said, desperate for the witch to understand the words she left unsaid.

‘There is always a choice,’ Ashes said, her tone cold and distant.

‘Not for me,’ Sapphire choked out.

Ashes countered, ‘Especially for you.’

The witch began to walk around, studying the room.

‘How exhausting it must be to live in such luxury. How brave you are to shoulder such a burden.’

Sapphire sighed as she walked over to her bed and sat down. A few moments later, Ashes joined her and Sapphire fought the urge to lean her head against the girl’s shoulder.

‘Blackmail.’

‘Come again, princess?’

‘His family. They are blackmailing my parents, forcing their hand.’

The witch let out a disgusted laugh. ‘You can’t trust anyone of high blood, Sapphire. How have you not learned that yet?’

There was no kindness in her tone. No understanding. And Sapphire moved away from her, putting distance between them.

‘I am of high blood. So are you saying the same of me?’

‘You have never been one of them.’

From the look on Ashes’ face, Sapphire knew she had not meant to say that. Her lips pressed together, creating harsh lines around her mouth.

‘What is that supposed to mean?’

The witch did not answer. Instead, she stared at the moon.

‘Answer my question.’

Ashes shrugged, turning to face her.

‘It meant nothing. High blood is high blood,’ she replied, motioning to the room around them.

Unexpected sadness worked its way into Sapphire’s heart, and she closed her eyes.

‘You’ve never believed that before.’

Ashes’ voice was smaller than Sapphire had ever heard it, a whisper carried away by the wind, broken. ‘You’re marrying him. Time will make you one of them yet.’

‘I would never –’

‘But you will,’ Ashes replied, cutting Sapphire’s defence short. ‘You will. And one day, long after you’ve stopped visiting the shore, you will command the armies that hunt people like me. Eriobis’ new king and queen crowned in laurels of blood.’

The anger that had bloomed in Sapphire’s stomach intensified, and she shifted, trying to quell it. But she felt more than just anger. There was an unexpected edge of heartbreak. Ashes’ words hurt more than they should.

‘You know nothing of the queen I will be,’ Sapphire snapped.

‘You’ll be no different than the last. Just another cog in the machine of death and devastation.’