Chapter 14

14

W hen we are halfway to our rooms and beyond earshot of the small council, I turn to Zadyn.

"So, I think that went well."

"It could have gone a lot worse." His tone is flat.

"You didn't tell me the extent of your ties to the king." I glance up at him as we skirt down the lavish hallway.

His expression is indifferent as he says, "The ties were my parents' really. I was an infant when I left court. I barely know the king."

"He seemed to know you," I nudge curiously.

Zadyn stares straight ahead as he speaks. "My father used to sit on his council. My mother was a witch. She helped from time to time." Finally turning his face to me, his jaw relaxes a bit.

"When I was young, my father told me what he and my mother did in order to bind me to you," he says, redirecting his eyes down the hall.

"My mother came from a line of powerful Bluebloods, and her father was High Fae. She knew—well, they both did—that in order for the binding to work across worlds, across time, a sacrifice would need to be made. Two lives, the seer warned them. She told my mother that if she tried to bind me against the will of the gods and nature, it would kill her and my father would die to protect the secret."

He pauses for a moment, swallowing. I watch him struggle to continue.

"I didn't expect him to be here when I returned. He prepared me the best he could. Told me to find you and deliver you safely to Aegar. But my duty has always been to you, before my king and my home. I couldn't hand you over without knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that he wouldn't harm you for his own gain. I was just being cautious."

He shrugs as if it's no big deal that he cared enough about my safety to take extra precautions.

As if everyone is that loyal and considerate.

We're both quiet for a while. "I'm so sorry. About your parents."

"I never knew my mother," he says simply. "And it's been a long time since I've seen my father."

His parents died for the cause. So that I could find my way here—so that Zadyn could find his way to me. The weight of that fact sinks into my chest like a thousand-pound boulder.

Part of me knows exactly who Zadyn is. I've felt his presence my entire life. Even through a thousand different forms and names, there has always been an invisible thread, a connection, drawing me to him for as long as I can remember. So I know in my heart that he is good. That I can trust him. That he is a true friend. Maybe my only friend. He would defend me before the king if I said I really didn't want to do this. He would go against his dead parents' wishes, the king's wishes, if I asked him to. He risked everything to follow me to the portal to help me get home. And it's not that I want to do this, but it feels like I owe it to him, to the memory of his parents, to try.

And would it be so terrible to figure out who I am? If I have the power they're all saying I do lying dormant inside of me…I want to know. I need to know. Because I can't go back to living in ignorance. I can't unlearn what I've been forced to face. All I can do is make the best of an absurd situation.

"Lord Rhodes," an icy voice calls from behind us. We both turn to see Lords Gronwen and Conwell approaching us.

"Lord Conwell and I were just about to embark on a hunt with a few members of court. We wondered if you might honor us with your presence."

Everything about this guy is a warning. He's beautiful in the way all fae are beautiful. But his angular face, smooth ivory skin, and dark features remind me of a living, breathing vampire. Not the best of vibes.

"Thank you, gentlemen. Perhaps another time," he says politely and turns. I stop him with a hand on his chest.

"Why?" I ask, lowering my voice. "You should go. Get to know them."

"You shouldn't be left alone."

"I'll go find Igrid. I'm fine." He doesn't budge. "Gentlemen, please excuse us for a moment." I pull Zadyn a few feet away.

"Zadyn. I appreciate you looking out for me, but I can't live with someone attached to my hip. I need space to breathe. I'm safe. Plus, the king assigned Jace as my personal guard."

"I don't see him anywhere," he counters, glancing around to prove his point.

"If anyone touches me, the king will take a fit. You know that. You need to be a member of this court to keep up appearances. We both do. If you're always by my side, people are going to think something is up. You should go with them."

"But this place is unfamiliar to you. "

"I promise you. I'm fine." Taking hold of his arms, I give him a light shake. He stands there reluctantly, looking down at me.

"Fine. I understand. I'll go with them. Be safe." His hand finds mine and gives it a gentle squeeze. I give him a soft smile of encouragement.

Turning smoothly to the men, he says, "Shall we?"

Zadyn follows the waiting nobles and I start to make my way in the opposite direction toward my room.

"Congratulations on your promotion. Lady ," a sensuous voice purrs in my ear.

I jump back, startled, bumping into the wall beside me in the process. Jace shakes his head at me with a disapproving look. "What is wrong with you?"

"Many things," I retort, smoothing my dress. "You scared me."

"We need to work on your awareness. The fact that you couldn't tell I was behind you is not a promising start."

"I don't have your fancy fae hearing or your weird sense of smell." I bound off the wall and continue down the stretch of magnificent hallway. Jace falls into step beside me.

"Doesn't mean you should allow yourself to be caught off-guard, witch. We'll work on it."

Pursing my lips, I slide him a sidelong glance.

"Maybe it's just me, but that sounds kind of derogatory."

"You are a witch."

"But when you say it, it sounds like ‘ hey, scum. '" I make a face, mimicking him.

"I did not call you scum ," he protests as we pass beneath an archway of sparkling marble.

"That's the underlying tone."

"How about ‘lady' then?"

"How about Serena, you know, my name ? "

"Serena." He gives me a look of disdain, testing out my name on his tongue. "I don't think it suits you."

I scoff, rounding the corner. "Your charm is truly astounding."

"So I've been told." He keeps pace beside me, shoulders back, hands folded behind him. "There is a ball tonight to welcome Prince Kai to court. All courtiers are expected to be in attendance."

"Who's Prince Kai?" I glance up at him.

"Queen Ilspeth's son from her first marriage to the King of Vod."

"Vod, as in the kingdom Aegar was at war with, Vod?" My eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

He nods. "King Derek wed the widowed queen as a peace treaty. Her eldest son, Kylian, is the current King of Vod. Prince Kai is second in line to the throne, and their younger brother, Kade, is third. You'll meet the other courtiers tonight, including the princess and her ladies. Remember to stick to the story."

"The princess won't ask any questions?"

A muscle in his jaw twitches. "I will speak with the princess."

"Are you going to tell her the truth?"

"As much of it as I can without endangering her."

"She's to be queen one day. Shouldn't she know these things?" I press.

"This isn't up for discussion." His eyes land on me sharply, and I struggle to read beneath that hardened expression. "Stick to the story. Even in the presence of the princess."

"Fine," I relent, making a face as we reach my room and he takes up post outside my door.

I turn to him, holding it open. "You're just going to stand there?"

"That is why I'm here," he says in an obvious tone .

"Okay, knock yourself out." I begin to close the door, but his large hand shoots out and stops its trajectory.

"I don't have to worry about you climbing out of a window and scaling the wall to escape, do I?"

"I'm past trying to escape. You have nothing to worry about."

He stares at me for a long time, and I stand in stillness as his gaze travels over my eyes, my nose, my lips. Then his hand eases from the door, and it slides shut behind him.

Alone for the first time in days, I explore the wonder of my room, trailing my fingers over the silk bedding, the colorful gowns peeking from the wardrobe, and the ornate spines lining the bookshelf against the wall. Picking out a foreign title, I curl up beneath the window. I make it two pages before I fall asleep.