Keys to the Kingdom by Fiona Wilde

to his lips. "Thank you," he said. "For everything."
    She laughed lightly. "Do not thank me yet, third son of Salazar. You've yet to master my lying sister."
    He turned and walked from the room, meeting his brother in the hallway as he did.
    "You look better," Kier said.
    "Lenora gave me an antidote - a herb she and her sister often used to reverse the effects of the draught."
    "Well, she should beg your forgiveness, brother," Kier said. "As should I."
    "You?" Quentin fixed his brother with a puzzled look. "Why ever for?"
    "I spanked Angelica," he said. "I felt the matter warranted immediate consequence and given your state I feared you would not be up to the task. However now that I see you are I am relieved that I did not give her the full measure of what she deserved. For that is your right."
    Quentin glanced towards the suite where Angelica waited. "Right and responsibility," he said. "I shall not live in fear of her lying tongue, or have her pass on deceitful ways to our children. That is a lesson she should learn and learn immediately."
    Kier nodded, liking what he heard.
    "I shall leave you to your woman, then," he said.
    "Aye," Quentin said. "Pray she leaves this experience as wise as her eldest sister."
    Kier placed a reassuring hand on his brother's shoulder before leaving Quentin to stride purposefully to the door. He pushed it open purposefully and was pleased to see Angelica look at him with a flit of apprehension in her red-rimmed eyes.
    "Your brother is a brute," she pouted.
    "No," Quentin said. "My brother was charitable and reserved. I, however, having been the target of your malicious lie, am feeling decidedly brutish."
    He began to roll up his sleeves. "Shall I tell you what happens to little girls who lie?"
    Angelica stood, gasping, her hands flying protectively behind her.
    "I am no little girl," she said, her voice quavering with uncertainty as Quentin approached. Even though he was half a head shorter than Kier and not quite as broad through the shoulders, his arms were well-muscled. Angelica had never noticed before how strong he looked. Now she did and she was suddenly very, very afraid.
    In a burst of speed she made to move past him, but he caught her around her small waist.
    "My brother tells me he reddened your bottom," he said. "However, instinct tells me he did not go far enough to curb your willful nature."
    "He did! He did!" Angelica whined as he turned her to face him.
    He looked down at her. "Ruthless girl," he said, his voice dripping with disdain. "Do you know how frightened I was when I thought you were truly ill? I drank that draught trusting you, Angelica. For what will any relationship be without trust?"
    She looked away now, hot tears of shame stinging her eyes.
    "Is this how you are, then? A squanderer of others' goodwill and intentions? Are you in such a rush to grow old with such ugliness? For do not think that cruelty within does not work its way to the surface in short order? Keep it up, fair princess, and one day you will look into the mirror to see a face as ugly as your heart. And if you do I hope you look back and remember it all began when you tricked a man who only sought to save you."
    He pushed her away from him and Angelica stood there. This was not what she expected. Her face burned with humiliation and hurt. And yet, try as she might, she could not find words with which to counter what he had just said.
    "I concede it was a silly thing to do," she said quietly.
    "Silly?" He turned to look at her, his face incredulous.
    "Very well," she said. "It was worse than silly. It was mean-spirited and hurtful..."
    "...and potentially dangerous," he added. "What makes one itch severely can kill another."
    "I did not mean to make you so upset," she said.
    "But you have, Angelica," he said quietly. "And as I mean to marry you I would impress up on you the importance of halting your lying tongue."
    He walked over and grabbed her wrist. This time, Angelica did not fight.
    "I will not