said. He prayed it was true.
But there were no gods left to pray to at all.
Elide kept one eye on Aelin while they
washed themselves in the queen’s tent. One
eye on the deliciously warm water that had
been brought in.
And kept warm by the woman in the tub
beside her own.
As if in defiance of the horrible meeting
they’d had with the khaganate royals upon
Aelin’s unexpected return.
Triumphant. But only in some regards.
One threat defeated. The other fumbled.
Aelin had hid it well, but the queen had her
tells, too. Her utter stillness—the predatory
angle of her head. The former had been
present this morning. Utter stillness while
she’d been questioned, criticized, shouted at.
The queen had not been this quiet since the