a Robbi

! S

ain shooting through my hips, and grabbed Alons

brother fro

yes died down the very second my fi

mbling with suppressed violence, his jaw cla

a cellar. He tossed silver at your feet like you were a tavern whore while he

eaded, my grip tight

gaze remained fixed on the door, and then at my father, w

nor and butcher him right now

the sharp mind of the King's H

ution without a formal trial of treason wou

ancient Dragon Oath, I am still legally bound to his house. If a Lord dies without formally severing his marital bonds, the High F

fell over the G

breath

lowly looked toward the gilded warming crib

arris elders can claim the twins under feudal guardianship laws. They could demand the children be rai

ide me, her hand resting firmly on the small

ine asked, her dark gold eyes boring into mine, fil

alls. "I want to cut the Dragon Oath in broad daylight, at the Registry of Oaths. I want him to sign away

began to curl the co

ip him naked bef

ve he has won. And then, once the ink is dry, once my children's names are etched into the Steph

ve, armored hand coming down gently on m

e. "You have the mind of a tactician, Tilda. The entire wealth of our dragon crystal

word leaves this sanctuary. If Kraig or the Robbins family suspect she has the Stephens house behind her, they will run t

alk of blood and courts. My daughter has stood on these

e, velvet-lined armchair across the

Sit before yo

ut a long, ragged exhale as the plu

, taking my cold hands into her warm

ed toward the warming cribs-a comical sight for a massi

first crib, his wild eyes widen

was an inch from Leo's face. "They are... so tiny. Are they supposed to

m the corner, leaning ag

brute. Strong lungs, strong heart

gnified steps, though his rigid pos

t a tiny, soft squeak in her sleep

rds to the execution block without blinking,

nd Jasen's index finger, grippi

n fr

eath s

ross his usually stern face, melt

, his voice softening into something e

ike an idiot. "Look at her! She already kno

orted dryly, though he didn't dare pull his finger from Nora's gra

nd shoot fire," Alonso s

hile my father stood behind them, his great chest puffing with quiet, over

r, terrified of speaking too loudly, terrified of breathing to

ving giants, a deep, profound sense of safety se

an aband

ilda St

is would learn the true

pened again, and a man clad in streamlined,

k, unreflective crest of the Dragon Guard-the realm