SIPPING hot chocolate topped with a tiny, melting marshmallow on a gloomy, rainy day, Thalia let the warm steam drift into her nose, breathing in its sweet comfort as it faded into the air. She was quietly enjoying the moment alone when the door of the drawing chamber creaked open. Lifting her head, she hoped it was the person she had been waiting for — only to find her father stepping inside.
“I heard of another scheme of the Emperor,” he said.
Thalia nearly choked on her drink. Setting down the cup with a sharp clink, she rolled her eyes at him. "Too complicated, father."
“I cannot fathom what's running on the Emperor’s mind,” Count Darvan said as he seated himself opposite her. “But if there were any way I might dissuade you from continuing with this selection, I would seize it witho
