Chapter 1 #2
I blinked at them, rawness clawing up my chest. I was the only one who didn’t know. The only idiot who thought he could be mine.
Ferrula tossed the towel aside and grabbed a water flask, popping the cork with her thumb. “You think love has anything to do with noble marriages? They’re just pretty chains disguised as alliances.” She took a long drink, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. “Always have been.”
“Especially here,” Jax added, giving me a look that wasn’t unkind, just honest. “Warriath doesn’t breed freedom. It breeds duty.”
I wanted to scream. To tear something apart with my bare hands. Duty. Always duty.
Ferrula capped her flask and leaned back against the wall, crossing her ankles. “Doesn’t mean you have to wear the damn chain they picked for him, though,” she said, voice low, fierce. “You’re not the one tied to that deal. He is.”
I stared at them, at their calm acceptance of something that felt like it had gutted me from the inside out.
“You’re stronger than this,” Ferrula said, shrugging one powerful shoulder again. “If you weren’t, Kaelith wouldn’t have picked you.”
Jax nodded, a slow, solemn dip of his head. “We fight our own battles. Let them drown in theirs.”
The words should have comforted me. Should have made the ache ease.
They didn’t.
Because deep down, I didn’t know if I could untangle myself from the wreckage Zander had left behind.
Not yet.
Maybe not ever.
The barracks door swung open with a loud, creaking groan, and the others filed in—Naia, Riven, Tae, Cordelle trailing behind, mud still clinging to their boots. Riven had several biscuits in her hand, and I was sure some were for me.
Their laughter died the second they caught the look on my face.
I didn’t have to say a word. Jax shifted his weight, exchanging a glance with Ferrula, and I knew they’d fill the others in.
The heavy thud of boots sounded behind them.
Zander.
He hesitated in the doorway, golden hair mussed by the wind, a stiffness to his posture that screamed regret even before he opened his mouth.
“Ashe,” he said, his voice low, coaxing, as if he could will me to listen. “Please. Just a moment.”
Every instinct screamed at me to turn away, but I forced myself to nod once, curt and sharp. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of thinking I was running from this.
Not again.
I pushed the door open and stepped just outside, the cold air scraping across my skin like a brand. I heard Ferrula mutter something to Jax, heard Cordelle curse under his breath. They would tell the others. They would know.
The door thudded closed behind us, sealing us in a bubble of too much silence and all the things we’d never said.
Zander shifted, like he wanted to reach for me but didn’t dare. Good. I wasn’t sure what I would do if he touched me.
“It wasn’t supposed to be like this,” he started, his voice rough. “I didn’t want to hurt you. I thought I could—” He broke off, dragging a hand through his hair. “I thought I could find a way to break the contract before I was forced to tell you.”
“You thought wrong,” I said, each word clipped and cold, my fists curling at my sides. You broke more than a contract, you broke me.
He stepped closer, desperation flashing across his face.
“It was arranged three years ago. Before the Trials. Before Kaelith. Before you.” His voice cracked slightly.
“I’m the fourth son, Ashe. I was never supposed to matter enough for it to be enforced.
It was just another treaty binding old bloodlines. I didn’t…”
“You didn’t think it mattered,” I snapped, the fury finally bubbling over. “You didn’t think I mattered enough to know.”
His mouth opened, but I cut him off before he could say another godsdamned word.
“You chose silence,” I said, voice low and shaking. “Don’t stand here now pretending it was anything else.”
Zander flinched like I’d slapped him.
I didn’t wait for him to recover. I turned and shoved the door open, the warmth and noise of the barracks rushing back to meet me like a shield. Then I slammed it behind me.
Cordelle was sitting on his bed, arms crossed, watching me with a grim expression.
“You know Zander isn’t the only royal with a marriage contract, right?” he said, one brow arching slightly. “Theron is engaged, and I assumed you knew about Stormforge’s leader.”
Ferrula grunted. “The one betrothed to Dorian?”
Cordelle nodded slowly. “She’s a beauty.
Cold as winter steel. And dangerous. Her father started a rebellion before they silenced him.
Rumor is... she became a rider after her marriage contract was in place.
Apparently, Dorian became quite taken with her after her dragon chose her.
I think they are actually in love. But if anyone has ties to the Varnari… it could be her.”
A heavy silence fell over the squad.
Bound by treaties. Bound by secrets. Bound by blood we didn’t choose.
I looked around at them. Jax, Naia, Tae, Ferrula, even Cordelle had a haunted glint in his eye—and it hit me hard.
Everyone’s tied to someone in this place.
Even Remy, I realized with a sick twist of my stomach. He was a noble. He had to have a bride.