He stopped mid-step, the water splashing softly against his ankles before he turned his sharp, unblinking gaze back onto her. "I am many things, my sweet Queen. I am ruthless, I am ambitious, and I carry a profound, unyielding contempt for my brother's righteous sanctimony. But I am not an idiot."
Aurelia watched him closely from behind the flare of her torchlight, reading the hyper-alert, restless energy radiating from his tall frame.
"The witch entered Valkoron beneath the stolen name of Selene Arkwright—your only recognized concubine. She bypassed the castle's ancient blood-wards using personal keys and dark information she could only have drawn from your bed. If you truly claim to have no hand in any of her schemes, Daeron... knowing you and knowing what your mind is capable of, how did a man like you allow a venomous snake to sit in his lap?"
