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made his biceps flex and pop.
    I shook my head as much to clear it as because I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “That can’t be right.”
    “Technically, they get away with it because the humans are considered less than us. The mother goddess forbids us enslaving one another . Not the humans.” Ash lifted one hand and cupped my chin, stealing my breath. “And they consider half-breeds lower than humans. Be careful they don’t realize who you are, Lark. Everyone has heard about the Earth king’s weak, half-breed, bastard daughter. If they figure it out, you could end up someone’s pet.”
    His fingers were warm and he slid them along my jaw. I couldn’t take my eyes from his. No, this couldn’t happen. With a quick jerk, I pulled away. “Then I’ll be careful. Thanks for the warning.”
    He opened his mouth, and then closed it with a slight shake of his head. “If the Undines let you in, I doubt any of us will be able to come after you. You’ll be completely on your own. Do you understand?” There was a weight in his eyes that made it hard for me to keep his gaze.
    I looked away. “On our own. No matter what happens. I’ve got it.”
    “Here, take this with you.” He pulled a tiny dagger from his belt. The three-inch blade was honed to an edge so thin it was barely thicker than a blade of grass.
    “Why are you giving me this? I have my own daggers and my spear. This looks like it could break with a wrong look sent its way.” Ash tucked the tiny blade into its miniscule, equally thin, sheath. With deft fingers he tugged at my vest, unbuckling it quickly. I slapped his hands away. “Hey—”
    “Relax, I’m not Coal. You want to keep this blade tucked away. They will frisk you when you get there. Probably take all the weapons you just named. But a small blade like this could go unnoticed. And it won’t break. I forged it, so I should know.”
    I blinked at him stupidly, and stopped fighting him. “You made this knife?”
    He slipped his hand inside my vest and worked the knife between the layers of leather where they overlapped. His fingers brushed against the sensitive skin near my belly button and I bit my lip to keep from moving. Toward or away from his hands, I didn’t know which I even wanted. Confusion was not something I liked, yet with Ash . . . that seemed to be the state of things.
    “Yes. Knowing how to make and repair your own weapons is important. I’ll show you when you get back. If you want.” He stepped back and gave me a nod, and I let out a sigh of relief.
    Pleased that we seemed to be back on friendly terms, I buckled my vest and tried not to think about his hands touching the skin of my belly. “My own private lessons so no one will see me make a mistake?”
    Ash grinned, a quick flash of his lips and white teeth before it was gone. “Agreed. But don’t tell Belladonna, she’ll want lessons for herself just to spite us both.”
    As if speaking her name had beckoned her, Belladonna swept into the room dressed in full regalia. Her gown trailed behind her, a deep golden hue that offset her skin and dark hair and made her gray eyes stand out. The cut of it was not her usual skintight version of a current fashion human dress, which surprised me. With the empire waist and long flowing skirts that swirled around her feet she looked every inch the princess. Until she opened her mouth.
    “Larkspur, I hate this gown. It’s ridiculously old fashioned. And the color . . . disgusting.” She flicked her fingers against the material while blowing out a rather unladylike snort. “Look at this, it doesn’t even lift my breasts, how will I be noticed?”
    Good grief, how did I answer that?
    Ash stepped out so he could see her. “You aren’t there to be noticed, Princess. You’re there to act as an ambassador and ferret out information for your king. Nothing more. Did you get your brief on the two supplicants for the Deep’s throne?”
    The transformation that overcame her was