Rowan's pov

　　Raven glares at me as I spill the contents of the glass onto the floor. Her gaze is sharp and cutting, almost palpable in its intensity, while the soft light of the hall reflects in her eyes, turning them into pools of dark liquid and threatening shadows. Anastasia, for her part, watches me with a look of confusion, her eyebrows raised in surprise as if she is trying to comprehend the subtleties of the game we are all playing.

　　"Forgive me, Princess ...