“I have a plan.”

Her words snapped both me and King Valtor to attention like a whip cracking in the air.

“Speak,” I demanded intensively.

“We just need to train you to shift. And when you do, you face me. I’m weak… you’ll defeat me easily, and the Elders will have no reason to doubt you.”

“What a ridiculous plan,” Valtor growled.

“Not entirely,” I argued quickly, clinging to the fragile thread of hope. “You said it yourself, Valtor. I need to shift. If I can do that, the rest can be arranged.”

His masked face tilted slightly, considering me. “I did say that. I had planned to assign someone...