Our ruse had worked, instilling enough doubt in Angoulême’s mind about Lessa’s loyalty that he was willing to risk coming out in the open rather than jeopardizing his puppet prince. Tracking him in the fresh snow was easy, and he set a brisk pace towards Courville. Our entire strategy was dependent on him calling Roland out of the city in order to hide him while Cécile’s “potion” wore off, and I prayed that it worked. I did not know what I’d do if it didn’t.

We ran through the night and into the dawn, and I felt no small amount of relief when his tracks broke off the Ocean Road and moved down towards the beach. I crept slowly, relying on stealth rather than illusion so that they’d be less likely to sense my power.

I reached a clearing, and stopped in my tracks at the sight of Angoulême. But it was Lessa, not Roland, who approached and my stomach clenched. This wasn’t the plan.

“What are you doing here?” she demanded.

“So surprised,” Angoulême said. “Is that because you believed me captured or dead?”

Her eyes widened. “Why should I believe such a thing?”

“Because you sent Tristan after me. Betrayed me.” So he had believed.

“I did no such thing,” she retorted. “I’ve followed every step of your plan. That’s why we’re here – we’re on our way to take Trianon. You told Roland it was time.”

My stomach clenched at that news, but now wasn’t the time to think about the other city. She’d said we, and that had to mean Roland. He was nearby. He had to be. And that meant I would have my chance to kill him with no fear of human casualties.

“One of the conditions of you keeping my daughter’s face was that you never lied to me,” he snarled at her. “You gave your word. Or does your human blood allow you to break that as well? Are all your promises lies?”

“I’m not lying,” she shouted. “What more must I do to make you trust me?”

I crouched in the trees, debating whether I should remain watching them on the chance Roland would arrive, or to go looking for him myself. It would be only a few moments more before Angoulême would suspect I’d duped him, and the first thing he’d do is warn my brother.

I scanned the terrain for any sign of motion, sending out delicate filaments of magic as I searched my surroundings for a source of power strong enough to be Roland.

Then my hackles rose.

Slowly, I turned my head, my eyes going up the slope until they came to rest on Roland.

He smiled. “Hello, Tristan.”