And as much as Elric hated to admit it, he had to give it to the boy. The snake knew what he was doing.

It was the second letter Elric’s men had been able to intercept, catching the messenger before he’d even left the city and bribing him to disappear.

But he knew there were more that had slipped past their notice. According to his contacts within the palace, Prince Eithan had sent at least half a dozen since Vera left.

Sighing, he rolled the parchment back up, staring at the ‘M’ in the center of the navy-blue emblem. Eithan Matheris was going to be a bigger problem than he’d originally anticipated.

“What does it say this time?” A gruff voice asked from behind him. “Has the bastard claimed you’re dead yet?”

Elric tucked the letter into his belt and turned, resting his hands on the table behind him. The same table Vera had once sat on as a child, watching him with big, gray eyes while he worked, taking in every movement.

The same table she’d later worked at, herself, sharpening blades and smirking as she goaded him and said something infuriating.

His heart squeezed at the memories, and a wave of sadness washed over him before he shoved it down. He didn’t have time to feel sorry for himself, or her.

“The same as last time,” he finally answered, clearing his throat. “Are you prepared for tonight?”

Brex Jensen nodded. “I’m ready. He’s set to meet with me just after sunset, along with Gibson if all goes to plan.”

Elric ran a hand over his freshly shaved head and breathed deep. “Good. He may not be ready, but his claim for the throne would be legitimate. He’s the best chance we have.”

The letter at his side burned. It was the only thing that could mess everything up. He could only hope to get Gibson out and set things in motion before one of Prince Eithan’s letters found its way into Vera’s hands.

It was time to remove the Matheris line from the throne.

Glossary

a li – my heart

aitanta – soul bonded mate

chinbi srol – baby king/princeling

daz – spirit/ghost

Mbi thothori trush zhu. – You’re a female Magyki.

nlamb jekhna – horny idiot

nlayi – fine

Nlem snadzend – Daughter to the Throne

Thyabathi zhe be. – Now use Thyabathi.

truik elixir – birth control

yinlanem dupye – holy fucking gods

zhumo dzind – stupid fool

zisdemyoz – guardian/personal guard

Acknowledgments

My first thank you could not be to anyone other than each and every single one of you who have been with me since the beginning and have patiently waited for this book. Postponing this release was, not only difficult, but nerve wracking.

I was absolutely terrified of disappointing all of you with pushing the release back, and I cannot say enough how much it meant for you all to be so understanding and supportive.

As much as I love the idea of rapidly releasing books, in the end, my main concern is delivering a book that is the quality you deserve. You all gave me that ability, and I cannot say enough how much it meant to me.