Anelisa

Alaric pulled back from the courtier, who must be suffering from a heart attack, as he collapsed properly on his chair.

Alaric moved back to stand at the spot he had left earlier. Varyn's smirk grew wilder as he crossed his arms behind his back.

His eyes shifted from Alaric and me, and I could tell he already had something in his head.

“Lord Varyn,” Alaric began, his voice barely above a whisper as he sheathed his sword.

“I come not to claim a throne, but to offer a pact—one ...