I leaned back before I could help it but managed to keep my confusion off my face. Does Cassius know about the mole? My mom assured me only she, the king himself, and I knew of our plan. It was vital to keep the circle as small as possible since it could be anyone.

Did I realistically think the traitor was the king’s own son? Probably not, but also…maybe. Perhaps he hated his father or was just tired of waiting in line for the throne. He certainly acted like he was already king.

Actually, now might be a good time to get to know him more. “Since you know so much,” I said, deciding to play it cool, “why don’t you enlighten me?”

“I know your mother is the Key Sorcerer in my father’s circle,” he said, like it was supposed to explain everything.

I rolled my eyes. “Everyone knows that. Are you claiming all knowledge is exclusively yours too?” Shut up, Liliana, we’re playing it cool, I chastised myself internally.

“And,” he continued, his eyes narrowing slightly, “I know you’ve been groomed your whole life to take your mother’s place. Just as I’m being groomed to take my father’s.”

Unease spread through me. I had no problems with my mother’s occupation or even her training really, as brutal as it could be. But as for my post-graduation plans, that we’d never seen eye to eye on. Mother didn’t know that, of course, so why should he?

But I covered with an overly sweet smile. “Will we be reaching a point anytime soon, Your Highness?”

Cassius’s face didn’t change. “Being who we are,” he said bluntly, “you’re going to be my right hand here.”

I felt my eyebrows shoot up. “Who’ll be your what now?”

His lip curled in a sneer. “I didn’t take you for an idiot,” he said coolly. “You. Will be. My. Key Sorcerer.”

I felt my face mirror his in disgust before I could stop it. I didn’t like being bossed around by anyone, not even the prince and heir to the throne. In fact, especially him because of the entitlement oozing off him in waves. It wasn’t even a question!

Rather than be pissed, Cassius smirked at my expression. “Our destinies are intertwined, Liliana,” he said, pronouncing every syllable of my name like a brutal slash as he stepped closer. “You might as well get used to obeying my command. After all, you’ve seen how your mother is with my father. She does everything he asks, rightfully grateful for the privilege. She knows better than to fight back. I think it’s time you start learning that kind of submission.”

Making sure my expression stayed neutral as stone, I pushed down my disgust and weighed the pros and cons of going with his dumbass plan. On the one hand, there was no way in hell I was going to kneel and kiss his feet or whatever he expected…but on the other, I might gain some useful insight being so close to the prince. Hell, if I was lucky, the mole might even come to me, making my job that much easier.

“Okay then, almighty king to be,” I drawled, unable to resist needling him. “Let’s say I go along with this. My mother may be following orders, but she’s a top villainess in her own right. She doesn’t do anything out of the goodness of her heart.”

Again, his eyes narrowed, as if in confusion. Confusion he was mad at. “She does what her king commands because he commands it.”

I scoffed. My childhood of fancy vacations, state-of-the-art weapons, and the latest fashions begged to differ. “For every favor asked of her,” I said pointedly, and he rolled his eyes, “she always gained something in exchange. So what’s in it for me?”

Cassius scratched his cheek, seeming genuinely puzzled by the question. Had no one ever asked him for anything?

“You’ll be my right hand,” he said again, as if that answered me. “You’ll be treated with all the deference and respect that commands.” He flashed a brutal slash of teeth that might have been a smile. “Power over others is always fun.”

Yeah, that wasn’t my favorite villain quality. “What else you got?” I said flatly.

The prince let out a harsh breath, and I half expected him to grab me and throw me to my knees—and I called fire just below the surface of my skin in case he tried it—but he just leaned down, boxing me into the window seat, and spoke through clenched teeth.

“Look. I am looking for people to be loyal to me. This school is four years of our lives, and then we hit the real world. In that time, I’m looking to gather those who will ascend to my council,” he explained, and understanding dawned on me. This was a job offer? “I plan to take over the kingdom at graduation, and I have no interest in rewarding the vultures who will descend.”

I blinked in surprise. I had no idea the king planned to hand over the throne so soon. But I got why that would be hush-hush—we were a kingdom that prized villainy, after all. Those vultures he talked about, the villains who would try needling their way closer to power just to take it, didn’t need four years to plan. So then he wasn’t just being a dick. Huh, tonight was just full of surprises.

“Well?” he demanded, drawing back up to his full height. “Do I have your allegiance?”

I shrugged, surprised he’d actually asked this time—and wondering what he’d do if I said no. But ultimately, I decided making an enemy of the prince wouldn’t suit my mission at all.

“Okay,” I said contemplatively, though I was decided. “I guess I’ll bite.”

Cassius’s eyes narrowed, this time in suspicion—and challenge. “Swear by your sorcerer’s heart that you will not betray me.”

I hesitated, though I shouldn’t have been surprised. To swear on my sorcerer’s heart, the very source of my power, was no small thing. If I did it and broke my oath, my powers might turn on me. And I possessed all four elements, which meant I could be drowned, burned, suffocated, or swallowed by the ground and crushed to death. Or all at once.

At the same time, it was that very power that made me consider it. Cassius was right, our identities linked us—him as the son of the king, powerful because the crown said so, and me as the daughter of the top sorceress, powerful because…well, I was. Which was good for me, but possibly bad for my image. I couldn’t afford to be seen as Cassius’s rival, especially because I would need him in the future.

Then there was my own mission to consider. Cassius was both the least and most likely to be the mole, as the man with the most and least to gain from toppling his father’s reign. I had to stay close to him to investigate. So that was two reasons to one why I should do it. Fuck.

Decision made, I looked the prince in the eyes and held out my hand for his. Something too cold and hard to be relief passed through his eyes, but it was gone too fast to decipher as he put his hand in mine. I knew what to do, knew the words to say. All villain children knew the oath—and knew never to make it unless we meant it. I really hoped I did as I put his hand to the center of my chest, where the core of my power, my sorcerer’s heart, thrummed. Closing my eyes, I began.

“By earth, by water, by fire, and air, twine these two souls standing here. By dark of moon and light of sun, as I will, let it be done. This oath I give to my future king of kings, my loyalty, my power to him in all things.”

I felt my power dredge up slowly, almost reluctantly, like it knew I didn’t really want to do this, but what choice did I have? Cassius’s hard gaze pinned me to the spot and his fingers flexed under mine—then heat, energy, power roared through me.

The scorching, blazing burn of fire racing through me, the shocking cold of water washing over me, the flair of air swirling up in me, the ground quaking and rumbling beneath me. I was each feeling, each element, and they were me. I was nothing but the elements and power, all anchored by one spot of near unbearable heat at my heart.

Cassius. His huge hand lay flat against my skin as if fused, and I couldn’t find any thoughts, any words to move him. Did I want him moved? All I could do was stare up into his charcoal gray eyes, gripped in the magic of the oath.

He stared just as deeply into mine and I felt a fleeting flash of fear that he’d see more, know more than he was supposed to, and yet, I couldn’t pull my eyes away. Neither could I move my hand from where it pressed his to my chest. And what’s more—I didn’t want to.

What the hell was this feeling, this…pull? Was this how Mother felt when she pledged herself to the king? Because if it was, I finally understood her urge to follow through on anything the king commanded.

Deep down, I felt a spark of fear, though it couldn’t truly touch me with my king’s hand in mine. Not yet, at least. Was I doomed to the same fate, bound to a man’s every whim and desire?