Page 114 of A Dark and Drowning Tide

It was a rhetorical question, of course. Lorelei had detailedwhat the hell happenedquite extensively.

“Have we?” she snapped. “You knew the dangers from the outset. This project was doomed from the start.”

“Of course I did! But I didn’t expect it would be her.” His voice faltered. “Goddamn it. I never shouldhave—”

“Regret isn’t going to bring her back,” Heike said. “Adelheid made herdecision—onethatyoumade her think was necessary. You’ll have to live with it, just like the rest of us.”

Color rose in his cheeks. Before he could speak, Heike held up a hand. It was such a quintessentially Adelheid gesture, Wilhelm looked stunned. “No. You do not possibly have anything to say to that.”

“Heike is right,” Lorelei said. “Adelheid fought valiantly, with every limited resource at her command. She did what she thought was best for her people, in spite of you.”

Wilhelm sat slumped in his throne, unmoving. He buried his face in his hands. The seconds ticked by agonizingly. “And what about you, Lud? Would you like to blame me, as well?”

“Me?” He startled. Ludwig was not the first person Lorelei would have chosen to assuage her guilt. His voice sounded like the whisper of dead leaves in thewind—andone could not easily overlook the branch jutting from the base of his neck.“Well...Ofcourse not. I wouldn’t say it wasentirely—”

“That’s enough.” When the king lifted his head again, Lorelei could see the ruin behind his stare. “No, you’re right. I’m grateful I can count on my old friends to be honest withme—andnew ones as well.”

There was something disingenuous and petulant in his words, but they would have to do.

Wilhelm rubbed his temples. “Now, what news of the Ursprung?”

The four survivors of the expedition exchanged glances. Lorelei had written that they’d foundit—butdecided the news would be best delivered in person. Heike, mercifully, seemed eager to play messenger. With a malicious smile, she said, “I’m afraid you can’t have it. It didn’t want you.”

“And what,” he said thinly, “does that mean?”

By now, Wilhelm knew the legends as well as Lorelei did. He knew exactly what it meant; he only wanted to know which one of them had betrayed him.

“It chose von Wolff.”

“I see.” Wilhelm laughed bitterly. “Seize her.”

His guards advanced astep—thenfroze mid-stride, their eyes flung wide with terror. With a clench of her fists, Sylvia held them fast by their blood. Wilhelm stared at them with a mixture of horror and fascination. Anja looked practically exultant.

“Will you wait a moment?” Sylvia asked impatiently. She relaxed herhands—andher hold on the guards, who flinched back from her. “I am no threat to you. My loyalty remains unchanged. Anyone who opposes you will have to go through me.”

“No!” Anja snarled.

“A generous offer. One we will discuss shortly.” Wilhelm pursed his lips, clearly displeased. “Well, then. Lorelei?”

She snapped to attention. “Yes, Your Majesty?”

“You’re every bit the bastard Ziegler said you were.” It had the air of a compliment. “You remind me of her, actually.”

“Thank you.” The memory of her still stung, but it was a thorny sort of pain, one that made her feel both bitter and tender. “Some people say so.”

“Effective immediately, you are granted the status of shutzyeva. You may leave the Yevanverte and live where you please. And tomorrow, if you accept the position, you will report to me as my new chamberlain.” He leaned forward in his seat. “I’ve heard they call you a viper. I’d say the title fits. You’ve certainly proven adept at flushing out rats, and I’d venture there are a few more in my court.”

Lorelei hardly knew what to feel. She nearly keeled over from the shock of it, the thrill of getting what she wanted after five long years. It wasn’t exactly happiness. Ziegler had served as Wilhelm’s chamberlain and resented every moment of it. It had trapped her, a gilded chain wound tight around her throat. But with this position, Lorelei would have the ear of the most powerful man in Brunnestaad, a man who needed something from her. She could make herself indispensable to him. And with that salary, she would never want for research funds again.

She would be a fool to decline.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” She bowed. “I will serve you as best I can.”

Anja laughed, a sharp, mocking sound. “Good luck to you, Wilhelm. Rats have a way of multiplying, especially now that you’ve invited another one in.”

Hatred sparked hot within her. Oh, how satisfying it would be to see Anja’s face warp when Lorelei told her she loved herdaughter—howshe intended to ruin her and how she already had. But before she could say anything regrettable, Wilhelm rescued her. Affably, he said, “I suppose we’ll begin with you, Anja. This has been a long time coming.”

“Shouldn’t I have a say in what happens to her?” Sylvia’s voice sliced through the tension like the fall of an axe. The sight of her stole Lorelei’sbreath away. A sliver of light cut across her face, casting her features in stark shadows. Her eyes burned like cold fire.