The palace halls had grown chilled, or perhaps Liora was the one feeling it—an unseen chill creeping along under her skin, into her bones.

She sat next to her window, fingers laced together in her lap. Her nails dug into her palms, but she didn't loosen her grip. Her reflection in the glass was a white face, pressed lips, haunted eyes.

Kaelen's words still echoed in her brain, a snake wrapped around her mind. “I never loved you. I hated you. I will watch Draven destroy you.”

She ...