Chapter 19
Chapter
Nineteen
I woke feeling heavier than I should have, like the weight of yesterday’s trial had seeped into my bones.
The memory of glowing veins and burning skin made me shiver.
But that wasn’t what bothered me the most—it was the conversation I’d overheard.
Cordelle and Naia whispering about me. About my power.
Did they fear me? Was it because I wasn’t anchored? Or was it the power itself—that cursed word dark hanging in the air like smoke?
Halflings couldn’t turn dark, I reminded myself. We needed dragons to stabilize our power, and no dragon would allow their rider to fall to such an atrocity. Still… the doubt gnawed at me.
Riven stepped up to my bunk, already dressed and grinning. “Let’s go grab some food before Jax eats everything.”
I mustered a smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes. “I’ll meet you there. I just need a minute alone in the washroom. Hard to get more than two minutes in there with this crew.”
She laughed. “No kidding. Ferrula and I will save you a seat.”
I watched her and Ferrula leave, my muscles finally relaxing when I realized I was alone. I reached down to straighten my blanket—and froze.
The corner of my blanket was folded in a precise triangle.
Solei.
I flipped the cover back to its normal position, dread curling tight in my stomach. The wardrobe door creaked softly, and Solei stepped out, her legs stiff as she stretched.
“Took you long enough, Ashe,” she muttered, massaging her calves. “I was starting to cramp.”
My jaw nearly hit the floor. “How long have you been in there?”
“A few hours.” She grinned, completely unapologetic. “Had to sneak in before your crew got up. Gotta say, communal changing isn’t so bad. Jax and Tae have some pretty nice assets.”
I groaned. “I will not be telling my squad my sister has been spying on them.”
“That’s probably for the best.” She grinned like she knew I’d struggle to unsee that mental image.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, my voice lowering.
Her smile faltered, shifting to something more serious. “Did you get into the vault?”
“Yes, but…” I hesitated. I hadn’t told anyone about the strange letters I found—correspondence between the castle and the outer kingdoms. Something about them unsettled me, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on why.
“I didn’t find anything that screams traitor.
Just a bunch of letters about supply lines and troop movements. ”
“You’re sure?” Solei’s eyes narrowed.
I swallowed hard. “Positive.”
“Fine. Because Cyran has a new target for you.”
My blood turned cold. “What?”
“The king’s private chambers.”
I grabbed her arm. “Is he insane?” My voice was barely a whisper, but the panic behind it was real. “The vault was bad enough—that rune combination was nearly impossible. If they change it now that I’ve broken in, I won’t get back in.”
“Forget the vault.” Solei shook her head. “Cyran thinks it’s too public now. Too many nobles have access to it. But the king’s quarters? Only one person gets in and out of there freely.”
“Even I can’t break into that part of the castle.” My voice dropped lower.
“Who said anything about breaking in?” Solei arched an eyebrow. “I want you to get invited in.”
I blinked. “How?”
“That’s your job. Figure it out.”
My mind was spinning. This was impossible. Cyran’s impossible.
The silence stretched until I finally whispered, “How is everybody?”
Solei flicked her braid back over her shoulder. “The same. Nothing changes in the Order.”
That wasn’t comforting. I nodded anyway. “We should go.”
Solei slipped through the door first, disappearing down the hall. I waited a few heartbeats before opening the door.
Eilvin stumbled back a step, blinking in surprise. His hair was still damp from whatever pitiful excuse of a wash he’d managed, and his tunic was half-laced.
“Where are you rushing off to?” he asked, his tone suspicious.
I forced a smile and shrugged. “Breakfast. Same as you.”
His gaze slid past me down the hallway. “Who were you talking to?”
My heart skipped a beat. “Myself.” I gestured vaguely toward my room. “Trying to figure out if I have enough clean clothes to survive the next few days.”
Eilvin didn’t look convinced. His eyes narrowed. “Sounded like two voices.”
I snorted and shoved past him. “You are welcome to look.”
He muttered something under his breath, but I kept walking, letting the tension bleed off my shoulders. If he’d seen Solei, he’d have said something— I think . But still, I couldn’t shake the lingering unease.
By the time I reached the dining hall, the scent of sausage and fresh bread filled the air. My squad was already at our usual table, Riven waving me over.
“Where’d you disappear to?” she asked as I sat beside her.
“Just needed a minute,” I muttered, grabbing a chunk of bread.
Riven arched a brow. “You okay?”
Was I? The conversation with Solei, about the king’s private chambers, and the talk I’d overheard between Cordelle and Naia churned in my mind.
“Yeah,” I said, faking a smile. “I’m fine.”
But I wasn’t. And if I couldn’t figure out what was happening inside the castle soon, I was pretty sure things were about to get a lot worse.
Eilvin slid onto the bench a few minutes after I sat down, his face tranquil but too carefully blank. He kept his head down, stabbing at his food without making eye contact. Still, I noticed the way his gaze kept flicking to me from beneath his lashes, his thoughts practically thrumming in the air.
Eilvin leaned closer to Tae and muttered something low enough that I couldn’t hear. Tae’s gaze snapped to me, narrowed and sharp. He didn’t speak, just returned to his food like nothing had happened. But the tension thickened, winding through the air like smoke choking my lungs.
I tried to ignore it, but the easy banter and laughter that usually filled our table never came.
The jokes between Jax and Tae were absent.
Ferrula’s quiet comments, Naia’s teasing remarks—gone.
Instead, there was only the sound of metal scraping against plates and the occasional cough.
Every clink of a fork seemed too loud, every shift on the bench like a thunderclap.
By the time most of us had finished eating, my appetite had vanished completely. Tae wiped his hands on his pants and stood.
“Let’s head back to our room,” he said, voice tight. “We need a squad meeting.”
That wasn’t a good sign.
We filed out of the dining hall and made our way to the barracks. No one spoke. No one even glanced my way. I felt the weight of suspicion clinging to me like a second skin.
Once inside, we spread out on our bunks, the atmosphere thick with unspoken accusations. Tae stood in the middle of the room, his arms crossed and face like a carved statue.
“Eilvin noticed a woman leaving our barracks before breakfast,” he said slowly, but edged with tension. “He asked around, and turns out she’s an Order courier.”
My stomach sank.
Tae’s gaze locked onto mine. “She was here to meet you.”
My pulse stuttered. Fuck.
“Yeah,” I said, forcing my voice to stay even. “She was.”
Tae’s face darkened. “You’re spying on us,” he said coldly, his voice low and full of accusation. “Reporting on us—and the dragons—to the Order.
I shot to my feet, anger flaring hot beneath my skin. “What? No. I would never?—”
“She’s an Order courier,” Tae snapped, eyes narrowing. “Here to see you . What else are we supposed to think?”
“Because she’s my sister!” The words exploded out of me before I could stop them. The room went dead silent.
Tae blinked. “What?”
I exhaled, shoulders slumping. “Solei... she’s my sister.”
“That assassin from the Order?” Riven asked carefully, her gaze sharp.
“Yes.” I forced myself to meet their eyes, to show I wasn’t lying. “Nobody can stop Solei from doing whatever the hell she wants. She showed up to check on me, that’s all.”
Naia’s face darkened with suspicion. “And what exactly did she say while she was ‘checking on you’?”
I swallowed hard, knowing this was a no-win situation. “Nothing about the dragons,” I said carefully. “Nothing about you.”
Ferrula’s eyes narrowed slightly. “But?”
I clenched my fists. “Just one thing... but it’s nothing that endangers the squad.”
Riven’s voice softened. “For the sake of solidarity... and trust. Tell us what she said.”
I sighed, feeling like I was being dragged across hot coals. “She hid in my wardrobe, so she saw us change. She said Tae and Jax have... nice assets.”
Jax snorted. “Well, she’s not wrong.”
Tae rubbed his chin. “She wouldn’t be the first assassin I’ve been with.”
Riven snatched her pillow and hurled it at him. “She’s Ashe’s sister! Hands off. And sleeping with an assassin? That’s like cuddling a snake. You know it’s going to bite you—it’s just a matter of when.”
“Do you trust her?” Naia asked quietly.
I swallowed the knot forming in my throat. “Cyran made it clear the day he sold me to the king that I was nothing but an asset. I’m here to repay my debt to him. Solei’s the only family I have.”
“You weren’t here by choice,” Riven muttered, her eyes softening.
I shook my head. “No. I know most of you joined to help your families, but that wasn’t the case for me. Cyran could roast under Kaelith’s dragon fire, and I’d use it to warm my hands.”
“Ouch,” Tae muttered with a grin.
Jax stood and turned to Eilvin. “I hope that addresses your concerns.”
Eilvin hesitated, then glanced at me. “I’m sorry,” he said, voice low. “But when you said there was nobody here...”
“I get it,” I cut him off. “Solei shouldn’t have come. I’ll tell you if she makes another unannounced visit.”
Jax gave a rigid nod. “And there is no need to share her opinions. Neither Tae nor I are interested in relations with her.”
“Thanks, Jax.” I managed a weak smile.
Tae winked. “Too bad. Sounds like she’d be fun to?—”