WINTER

“I’m so sorry, Winter.” Valtor’s voice came from behind me again for the third time.

We were in Eira’s small room now. Outside, the maids had gathered and were peeking in curiously from the hallway. After all, it wasn’t every day that the King himself entered the maid’s quarters and stayed.

I hadn’t asked Valtor to follow me. He said Eira told him about those two men and once he’d set me down from his arms, I went straight to her. I hadn’t even noticed he was ...