“My dear girl,” the king said as she and Magnus approached. “You grow
lovelier with each day that passes. It’s quite remarkable.”
And you grow more hateful and disgusting.
“Thank you, your majesty,” she said as sweetly as she could. The king was a snake in the skin of a man and she would never underestimate the strength of his bite.
“Were you pleased by my surprise announcement today?” he asked.
She fought to keep her controlled expression from slipping. “I’m very grateful that you’ve allowed me such an honorable place in your kingdom.”
His smile stretched, but it was one that never met his dark brown eyes—the exact same shade as Magnus’s. “And you, my son. I’m sure you were caught unawares as well. It was a last-minute decision, to tell you the truth. I thought it would please the p
