She drew back, hearing his words again. Spoken with such certainty. She wants to kill you, Princess.

She told you this?

A sharp, single nod.

Bright spots flickered in her vision. She stepped backward, grasping the rail of Ryus enclosure. Behind her, she heard a growl, followed by Ryus nose against her fingers. She hadnt realized he was there.

She asked you to do it.

His jaw clenched. Guiltily, he glanced at the wolf. Im so sorry, Princess.

When the world stopped spinning, she dared to look up at the camera over his shoulder. She rarely paid the cameras much attention, but now she wondered if her stepmother was watching, waiting to see her stepdaughter murdered so she could protect her throne from an imaginary threat.

Why would she do that to you?

He laughed, like someone had stabbed him in the chest and he had no other choice but to find it amusing. To me? Really?

She forced herself to stand tall. Recalling her breathless anticipation of this meeting, she thought of what a nave, silly girl shed been.

Yes, she said, firmly. How could she be so cruel, to ask you, of all people?

His face softened. Youre right. Its torture.

Tears started to mist her eyes. She threatened someone, didnt she? Shes going to have someone killed if you dont do this.

He didnt respond.

She sniffed, blinking the tears away. He didnt have to tell her. It didnt really matter who it was. Its selfish of me, but Im glad its you, Jacin. Her voice shook. I know youll make it quick.

She tried to imagine it. Would he use his knife? A gun? She had no idea what was the fastest way to die. She didnt want to know.

Jacin would have had to ask these same questions. All the night before. All that day. He must have been planning how to do it, dreading this meeting as much as shed been yearning for it.

Her heart broke for him.

Behind her, Ryu started to growl.

Winter

It had been so long since hed called her by her name. Always Princess. Always Highness.

Her lip quivered, but she refused to cry. She wouldnt do that to him.

Jacins fingers curled around his knife.

It was torture. Jacin looked more afraid than when hed stood on trial. More pained now than when his torso had been stripped raw from the lashings.

This was the last time she would ever see him.

This was her last moment. Her last breath.

Suddenly, all of the politics and all of the games stopped mattering. Suddenly, she felt daring.

Jacin, she said, with a shaky smile. You must know. I cannot remember a time when I didnt love you. I dont think such a time ever existed.

His eyes filled with a thousand emotions. But before he could say whatever he would say, before he could kill her, Winter grabbed the front of his shirt with both hands and kissed him.

He thawed much quicker than shed expected. Almost instantly, like hed been waiting for this moment, he grabbed her hips and pulled her against him with a possessiveness that overwhelmed her. His lips were desperate and starved as he leaned into the kiss, pressing her against the rail. She gasped, and he deepened the kiss, threading one hand into the hair at the nape of her neck.

Her head swam, muddled with heat and a lifetime of desire.

Jacins other hand abandoned her hip. She heard the ring of steel as the knife was pulled from its scabbard. Winter shuddered and kissed him harder, filling it with every fantasy shed ever had.

Jacins hand slipped out of her hair. His arm encircled her. He held her against him like they couldnt get close enough. Like he meant to absorb her body into his.

Releasing his shirt, Winter found his neck, his jaw. She felt the tips of his hair on her thumbs. He made a noise and she couldnt tell if it was desire or pain or regret or a mix of everything. His arm tensed against her back. His weight shifted as he raised the knife.

Winter squeezed her eyes tight.

Having seen so many deaths in her life, she had the distant thought that this was not such a horrible way to go.

His arm jerked downward and Winter gasped, the rush of air separating them. Her eyes flew open. Behind her, Ryu yelped, but the sound turned to a betrayed whimper.

Jacins eyes were open too, blue and regretful.

Winter tried to back away but he held her firm. She had nowhere to go anyway, pinned between him and the railing as she was. Over his shoulder, a cameras light glowed against the ceiling. Her breaths were ragged. Her head spun. She couldnt tell her heartbeat from Jacins.

Jacin. Whose cheeks were flushed and whose hair was a mess. Jacin, who she had finally dared to kiss. Jacin, who had kissed her back.

But if shed expected to see desire in his face, she was disappointed. He had frozen again.

Do me a favor, Princess, he whispered, his breath warm against her mouth. The next time someone says theyre going to kill you, dont just let them.

She stared at him, dazed. What had he done?

Winters knees gave out. Jacin caught her, sliding her down the enclosures bars. Her hand landed in something warm and wet seeping out from underneath the short wall.

Youre all right, Princess, Jacin murmured. Youre all right.

Ryu? Her voice broke.