The Reborn Duke's Hated Bride

d the first assassin

rd Dorian, his sword raised, his face twisted with the kind of hatred that only paid men wear. Then he simply sto

h two other men, his blade moving in tight, efficient arcs

I tu

my blood run colder

gainst the snow. She was tall and lean, her hair the color of frost, her face sharp and beautiful in a way that f

ing at the rema

aiming

a kind smile. It was the smile of a cat who had cornered a mo

her bow and vanis

No sound. No disturbanc

d the last of the attackers and was striding toward me, blood spattered acro

id. "In the trees

hing shifted behind his eyes. Something that

killed one of them.

e with a force that left bruises. "You are imagini

not

you are valuable. And there are people who would pay hands

driver. The carriage lurched forward, l

the forest retreat. For a moment, I though

blinked,

ide lasted thr

t down three men with a blade that was still wet with their blood, I might have thought him asleep. But I knew better no

leeping. He

g a sound I could not hear. His fingers would twitch on his th

w, the way his coat stretched across broad shoulders. He was a man built for war.

Something that surfaced when he looked at me. Some

lmost li

" he said, withou

ay. "I am trying

of his gaze pressed against my skin. "You should be

ike a slap. "He i

ore a priest.

e forced me. The v

law does not care what vows meant. It cares what vows were spoken. You

my lap. "Then he wi

will not. Which is why

in the air, sim

casual way he spoke of murder. But all I felt was a cold satis

"Not for me. Not for justice. You wa

. "Perceptive. Yes. Alaric and I have unfinished business. You

pens to me wh

nd the light from the lantern flickered across his face

ally, "on whether you prove

you thi

nd withdrew the leather pouch again. The moonpetal i

arden that Alaric's mother planted before she died. She was a witch

sent a chill

ind of

orian turned the petal between his fingers. "The moonpetal is the key. It can bind him full

e gave me moonpetal e

es

hy

nted to make sure that if I rescued you, you would carry a piece of him with you. A tether. A le

as if I could feel the poison

is someone we are going to see. Someone who might. And if she cann

heard the crunch of hooves on snow, the murmur of voice

ved at Rave

e mountainside like a c

ls sheer and unbroken, its towers sharp against the grey winter clouds. There were no garden

irst, then turned an

not a lady to be hel

at. "Whatever else you are, that title st

ment, I felt something flicker through me. Somethin

terrified me mo

d was full of soldiers, training in the snow, their breath misting in the cold air. They

er. The murderer's wife.

their stares. I had survived

t suits of armor that looked as though they had been worn by giants. The castle was warm, at least. Fires

pped before a h

find clothes, food, a bath. Everything you need

for w

was unreadable. "The King wants to meet the woman who ki

ed. "What kind

ace up to his. His thumb brushed across my lower lip, and I felt the touch all the way to my bones.

f it i

ened. "Then I will

s echoing down the corridor. I watched h

savior. He was

as my on

door and stepped