“You’re not breaking like she expected,” he said. “In Illucia, subordinates obey, and those who don’t are punished. She’s treated the other kingdoms the same. It’s all a power play. That’s even why she has those moonblades. They belonged to the queen of Jindae. They’re trophies.”

“And she thinks Rhodairens are cruel?” I asked. “She makes soldiers out of children and workhorses of their parents. How can she say she’s never torn a family apart?”

Ericen snorted softly. “She thinks it’s an honor for them. They all get to serve the great Illucian Empire, to serve Rhett. Especially the children. They get the greatest honor of all, serving in our army. She even thinks it’s a better life for them. Jindae was racked with civil war between the guilds before we took over—”

“The king and queen were making progress on that. Before them, Jindae’s rulers were horrible people. But they were changing things!”

“I know, Thia. I’m not supporting it. I’m just…telling you how she sees it.” His voice dropped, as if he didn’t quite understand himself why he’d said the words. “My mother’s always been a volatile person, but she’s been getting worse.”

“And you?” I asked. “What’s her excuse for the way she treats you?”

He stiffened, edges turning sharp as a blade. For a moment, I thought I’d gone too far. Then he said, “She hates me.”

I lifted my gaze to his face, but he wouldn’t look at me.

The words came pouring out of him. “She says every time she sees me, all she can think about is what those soldiers did to her family. She says I look exactly like my father, that I’m just a reminder of him. She sent me away to Darkward as soon as she could, breaking years of tradition of training the royal children in the castle. She seemed to think if she treated me terribly enough, I’d disappear, and so would her memories.”

“That’s horrible.” My hands trembled. “Is that why you’re going along with this marriage? You think it’ll change the way she treats you?”

“At first.” He smiled faintly. “But despite your best efforts, my feelings toward you changed while I was in Rhodaire. I tried to make you feel powerless, but you stayed strong. You didn’t care what I thought. You said what you wanted, and you didn’t back down.” He leaned closer, eyes falling to my lips.

My face grew hot, and I looked away. I didn’t know what I felt toward Ericen anymore, but it wasn’t what his eyes implied he felt. His words made my chest ache. This wasn’t how I’d been expecting this all to go when I’d come to the home of my enemy.