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‘The Orc contingent arrived early. They’re heading towards the palace, and there’s no king to greet them,’ he said, sounding desperate. ‘That’s a breach of protocol. What if they take offence?’

‘You have a queen,’ Irsha quipped. I smacked his arm, but the chamberlain’s head snapped up, looking at me with new hope.

‘I’m not claiming a title I don’t have, but I’ll welcome them as the King’s Shadow. When they arrive, lead them to the small audience room,’ I said, gesturing for Irsha to follow.

Without Reynard or Riordan, I might offend the orcish warriors who, sweet as they were to their women, held firm beliefs.

I rushed to my room and changed into a black velvet caftan and slipped on my alchemist’s belt, this time not hiding my special dagger. I glared as my short hair frizzed, so I used water to smooth it, making myself look almost masculine.

If you ignored the curves, large eyes and height, of course.

‘I’m coming with you,’ Irsha said, taking in the preparations. ‘You’re expecting trouble?’

‘Not exactly, but there will be a lot of posturing. Taking a master assassin with me will only weaken my position,’ I answered. Irsha’s stubborn expression told me exactly what he thought of that. ‘Fine, but wait in the alcove and don’t come out until I’m in danger… genuine danger, not orcish bravado.’

‘Really? Fine, Trouble. It can’t be worse than you forcing the Brotherhood to comply,’ he said.

We descended to the small audience room, and I paused before opening the door.

I was grateful for his presence, even though I pushed him into the alcove.

The audience chamber was large enough to accommodate the council, with a small dais for the king to sit and hear petitions. The guard gave me a glare when I approached the king’s seat, but promptly settled when I didn’t sit, choosing to stand beside it instead.

The thump of heavy footsteps carried from the corridor, announcing the orcish delegation before the guard did. I smoothed my caftan, ready when the door opened.

Three massive males entered, instantly dwarfing everyone with their presence. The lead orc wasn’t the tallest, but the countless scars covering his olive skin had a distinct green hue. His jet-black hair was combed back, plaited into a long braid. It hung as far as his tailbone, entwined with a single golden thread that flashed each time the chieftain moved.

Gold for the Tain, silver for the Bearers. Lower your eyes and place your hand on your heart when you greet the Tain, unless you consider yourself strong enough to defeat them. My mother’s voice resurfaced from the recesses of my memory. Was I strong enough to challenge the Tain?

They stopped in the middle of the room. Seeing only me at the dais, the Tain frowned.

‘Where is your king, wo… Lady?’ The slight stutter almost made me smile. His attempt at politeness was a good omen.

I stepped from the dais and walked forward, never dropping my gaze. The Bearers shifted, their hands drifting to the wicked scimitars at their sides. I placed my hand over my heart and inclined my head in polite greeting, still holding Tain’s gaze, an achievement in itself, since the orc was so tall.

‘Lady Devana guide your horses to verdant pastures and strengthen your bow,’ I said, invoking the goddess of the hunt and wilderness, so revered by the orcish tribes. ‘The king is preparing for war with his dragon, but he should be here by nightfall. I am Roksana Regnav, the King’s Shadow.’

‘The Poisoner?’ The Tain’s eyes narrowed when he focused on me. He whipped his hand forward so quickly it took all my self-control to not yelp and pull away when he touched my cheek.

The Chamberlain didn’t have the same restraint. He rushed to step between us, only to bounce off a Bearer, who intercepted him, while his partner turned to the guards, raising empty hands.

I gestured, not to the guards but to Irsha, hoping Blade would let things unfold in their own way. The posturing had begun.

‘You can’t touch the king’s fiancée, you can’t…’ The chamberlain was frantic. I couldn’t blame him; Rey’s reaction would’ve been just as immediate, but this declaration wasn’t helping.

The Tain lost interest, already downgrading me from threat to king’s woman.

‘You belong to the King, eh?’ He smirked. ‘And I so wanted to wring this pretty neck for challenging me, but I’m no woman slayer.’

‘And I thought the famous Gniev of the Grey Waters would recognise death when he met her gaze.’ I stepped forward, standing so close the heat radiating from his skin washed over me, and I could smell the tannins in his travel leathers. I dropped my voice to a whisper. ‘I can kill you with a drop of poison or the touch of my magic if you challenge me.’

I covered his hand, then pressed it firmly against my cheek. Rough calluses scraped my skin while my power seeped into his body. His essence, the pure Aether of the elder races, coursed through his body, as verdant as the grass on the steppe. I called on it, and goosebumps spread over the orc’s forearm. Then the skin under my hand darkened as I manipulated his Aether, forcing a change. It lasted only a moment before I released it, but it was enough. Tremors ran through his body, a recognition of who and what I was.

The moment his muscles tensed to pull away, I let go and lowered my gaze.

‘You’ve had a long journey, Tain, and caught us by surprise. Please forgive this less-than-adequate welcome. My servant will take you and your men to your quarters. I’ll inform the king of your arrival as soon as he returns.’

To everyone else, it looked like I’d bowed to the Tain. Gniev and I knew otherwise. When I looked up, there was anger in his eyes, but also begrudging respect for the woman who’d saved his pride.

‘Thank you, Lady Roksana,’ the Tain offered, his body recoiling from my touch. ‘I await the king’s arrival. You.’ He pointed towards the Chamberlain. ‘Lead the way.’

The orcs left much quieter than they’d entered, and I sighed heavily, dropping onto the dais steps.

The tension in my neck had returned, but the new respect in Gniev’s eyes was worth this headache.