She Dreamed Her Empire Would Burn, So She Set Out to Break Four Collars novel · Chapter 8 of 24

Chapter 8: Terms

"Then open the cage," said Nimeriel, "and I'll hold the door."

Ashgar straightened and stared at her.

The four of them stood in the sitting room at the top of her tower, with the door shut and the guards dismissed.

It was the first time in her life she had been alone with the men from her dream.

Nobody sat down.

Iven prowled along the bookshelves, running a finger over the spines, humming.

Brannoch stood by the fire with his huge hands tucked into his apron, looking at the rug.

Ru leaned against the door.

"Terms," said Ashgar.

"Terms?"

"If we're your household, we have terms. I won't be anyone's pet. I won't bow. And you don't touch me unless I say."

"Fine."

"You don't heal me in front of nobles."

"Fine."

"You answer when I ask a question. Honestly. Even when it's ugly."

She looked at him.

"One question each," she said. "Honest answers. Then I ask one back."

"A trade."

"A trade."

Iven sprang onto the arm of the couch like a cat.

"Oh, I like her. I'll go first." He folded his hands. "Highness. When you poured the Chancellor's draught into the ferns, did you do it because you suspected him, or because you didn't like the taste?"

"Both."

"Honest!" He clapped. "What do you want to know?"

"Why you play the second pattern under the lullaby."

His grin dimmed.

"Three up, one down," he said. "It's the song my mother sang. The old kin one. The Chancellor doesn't know it. It's the only thing in that salon he doesn't own."

Nobody said anything.

Iven shrugged, lightly, and the grin came back.

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