Chapter 29 #2
“I’m fine.” I wasn’t. Not really. “You didn’t come here just to check on me.”
“No,” he said carefully, taking a step closer. “I... wanted to talk.”
My heart thudded in my chest as I remembered the warmth of his lips on mine. The way his hand had slid up my arm like I was something fragile and fierce all at once.
“You’re playing with fire,” I warned.
His lips quirked. “I thought you liked fire.”
“I do,” I shot back. “But I’m not sure you can handle it.”
Zander’s gaze flicked to my mouth, his eyes darkening. “I wish I were here to spar with you, but I have to ask you a question.”
“What?”
“You and Lieutenant Saulter were… talking on the Ascension Grounds before he left. What did he say?”
“I guess I am getting slow if you noticed our hand movements.”
“Lieutenant Saulter mentioned the secret language in his report.”
My fingers flexed. I wasn’t sure why this bothered me so much when Remy had betrayed every confidence I had given him.
“He said to be careful. That things are not what they seem.”
Zander sighed. “He is right. I don’t like Remand, but he is an excellent spy.”
“I’m well aware,” I said in a cold tone.
Zander’s eyes flicked to mine. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”
“It’s fine. I guess I was an easy target. I had no experience with relationships before Remy, and it took me a year to get over him, when I believed he was dead. But that is the past. What are you worried about? At the moment, it isn’t me.”
Zander’s frustration practically radiated off him as he ran a hand through his dark hair. His fingers raked through the strands, leaving it tousled, and he let out a breath that sounded dangerously close to a growl.
“True,” he muttered, more to himself than to me. His eyes flicked away, like he was debating something.
“What’s going on?” I asked quietly.
He turned back to me, his gaze sharp and uneasy. “It’s my father,” he said, voice low. “He isn’t thinking straight. His paranoia is... escalating.”
“Paranoia?” I echoed. “About what?”
“Everything.” His jaw clenched. “The Blood Fae. The Order. Even the guilds. He’s convinced there’s a traitor in the castle—someone powerful enough to undermine the kingdom.”
“That’s why you’re worried,” I said, reading the tension in his stance. “You think he’s making bad decisions.”
“I know he is.” Zander’s eyes flashed dangerously. “He’s taking counsel from someone... someone I don’t trust.”
“Who?” I asked, my voice sharper than I intended. “The prisoner?”
Zander’s entire body stiffened, his hand dropping to his side. “How do you know about that?”
I swallowed hard. Shit. “I overheard something,” I said carefully. “About a fae prisoner kept in the lower dungeons.”
His gaze pinned me, assessing. “What else do you know?”
“That he’s powerful,” I admitted. “And that the king isn’t the only one interested in him.”
Zander’s mouth pressed into a thin line. “My father thinks that the prisoner has answers—that he knows something about the Blood Fae’s movements. But I don’t buy it. The king’s been visiting him in secret.”
“And you think he’s being manipulated?” I asked.
Zander turned his back to me for a moment as if gathering his thoughts. “I think someone is. My father’s been... unstable before, but never like this.” He turned back to me, his expression grim. “I’m afraid he’s about to make a decision that puts all of us at risk.”
I knew Zander had just given me information he probably shouldn’t have shared—especially with a commoner like me. The trust it implied was unsettling, and I wasn’t sure if I could return it. Could I really trust him?
“Cordelle has access to the lorekeeper books,” I said slowly, choosing my words carefully. “His father’s been training him. Cordy’s expected to take his place when he passes.”
Zander’s expression shifted—something that looked almost like relief flickered across his face before vanishing. “That’s excellent news,” he said, his voice quieter now. “I could request the same information, but my father would question why I was digging into it.”
“You’ll keep this between us,” I asked.
“I will,” he promised.
He leaned closer, his gaze intense. The warmth of his body felt like a magnet pulling me in. “I wasn’t aware Jarrah had started training Cordelle, but I’ll never betray your confidence.”
I believed him. It was unsettling... but it wasn’t unpleasant.
The room felt smaller with Zander so close, his presence filling every corner like a storm pressing against glass. I knew I should say something—thank him for trusting me, maybe—but the words tangled in my throat.
“I’m sorry about earlier,” he said quietly. “About... Theron, and what he said.” His fingers flexed at his sides like he was resisting the urge to reach for me. “He was out of line.”
I swallowed hard. “It doesn’t matter.”
“It does.” His voice dropped lower, softer. “You’ve been dragged into something you don’t understand, and I should’ve handled it better.”
His gaze locked on mine, and suddenly all the frustration and tension melted into something else—something heavier, warmer. A pull I couldn’t fight.
“I don’t know if I can trust anyone right now,” I admitted, my voice scarcely above a whisper. “But... I want to trust you.”
His hand rose slowly, his fingers brushing against my cheek. I leaned into it without meaning to, desperate for something solid after everything that had unraveled today.
“You can,” he murmured, his thumb tracing the curve of my jaw. “I swear you can.”
Then his lips were on mine—tentative at first, like he wasn’t sure if I’d pull away.
But when I didn’t, when I kissed him back with every ounce of frustration, confusion, and aching want burning inside me, his hand slid to my waist, drawing me closer.
His kiss deepened, rougher now, like he’d been holding himself back for far too long.
I clutched at his jacket, my fingers curling into the leather as if I could anchor myself there. For a moment, everything faded—my father, the Order, Remy... even Kaelith.
But then Zander pulled back, breathless and wild-eyed.
“We need to go back,” he said, voice hoarse.
I didn’t move, couldn’t. My pulse thundered in my ears.
“I... I have something for you.” His voice steadied as he reached behind him, unhooking a long leather-wrapped item from his belt. He unrolled it, revealing a sleek, elegant rapier.
The blade gleamed like silver water, slender but deadly. Intricate runes were carved into the guard, and the hilt was wrapped in dark leather, with a small sapphire set into the pommel.
“It belonged to my grandmother,” he said quietly. “It’s... old, and most riders use short swords or daggers. But this... this feels more like you.”
I swallowed hard, taking the rapier in my hands. It was perfectly balanced—light, yet strong, like it had been made just for me.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
“You’ll need it,” Zander said, stepping back. His expression hardened again, the warmth in his eyes cooling like embers fading to ash. “It’s time to return to the ring.”
Zander left the room without another word.
I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding, fingers still curled tightly around the rapier’s hilt.
My mind was still spinning—from the kiss, from the sword, from the way Zander had looked at me like I was something more than just a commoner struggling to stay alive.
Shaking it off, I left the room and jogged to the dining hall. The scent of fresh biscuits hit me before I even reached the door. The area was emptying fast as cadets filed out, but I managed to slip inside, snatching a biscuit from one of the trays just before the servers packed up.
The buttery warmth melted in my mouth as I jogged back across the grounds, chewing hurriedly as I reached the ring designated for Thrall Squad. The rest of my team was already there, as Riven fell into step beside me.
“I’m glad you made it?” she asked with a grin.
I swallowed the last bite. “Me too.”
“I think you’ll need the energy.”
We reached our places just as Major Ledor barked for us to get in line. Jax and Cade stepped into the center circle, taking their stances.
Cade was sharp, fast on his feet with an easy swagger that made it clear he knew exactly how good he was.
Jax, on the other hand, was built like a wall—solid muscle with enough strength to knock anyone flat if he got the right angle.
For a few minutes, they circled, trading blows.
Jax landed a solid hit to Cade’s ribs that made him stumble back a step.
“Nice shot!” Riven called.
But then Cade grinned—a sharp, wicked smile—and lunged. In one swift motion, he hooked his arm under Jax’s shoulder and twisted, dropping his weight and flipping Jax over his hip. Jax hit the ground with a hard thud that made me wince.
“Shit,” Jax muttered, lying flat on his back with an annoyed scowl.
“Get up,” Cade teased, offering his hand. “I barely tried.”
Jax grunted and took it, dragging himself upright. He shot Cade a look that promised round two would be far less playful.
As they reset, my attention drifted across the grounds. Dorian had approached Zander, and the two brothers stood off to the side, speaking quietly. Zander’s face was hard, his arms crossed over his chest. Dorian gestured toward the castle, his expression sharp with frustration.
“Any idea what that’s about?” I asked Riven.
“Not a clue,” she whispered back. “But I doubt it’s good.”
Zander’s gaze flicked briefly in my direction, and my stomach twisted. He held it just long enough to make my heart race before turning his attention back to Dorian. Whatever they were discussing, it wasn’t going well. Dorian’s voice rose slightly, his face tense with barely concealed anger.