Chapter 31 #2
I let out a bitter laugh. “She’s ignoring me. But my father banished me—and knowing him, he’s already working on a more... permanent solution.” My gaze flicked toward the figures weaving around my barracks. “I don’t think he’ll waste much time.”
That is not his decision, Siergen said firmly. That is Kaelith’s.
I scoffed. “She’s not talking to me.”
She has other concerns at the moment.
I tensed. “Is she all right?”
She will be.
That answer didn’t sit well with me, but I didn’t push. “She won’t be able to stop this. The Order doesn’t fail. But something doesn’t feel right. My father’s always been ruthless, but this... this feels bigger. Like someone’s pulling the strings—manipulating both him and the king.”
Then you need to speak with Hein’s rider.
I blinked. “His name is Zander.”
I know. Go to his room—I will help you navigate the castle guards.
“I don’t know where his room is,” I admitted.
It’s a few doors down from Princess Elara’s.
I frowned. “He isn’t on the top floor?”
He has a second room that he uses for certain functions . Siergen’s voice was calm but firm.
That struck me as odd, but there wasn’t time to dwell on it. The shadows were closing in on my barracks. They’d know I didn’t return soon and look elsewhere.
“Lead the way,” I said.
Siergen’s wings stretched wide, and with a powerful push, he soared into the sky. The gust from his takeoff whipped my hair around my face, but I kept my eyes on him, watching his sleek form circle high above the compound.
Wait. His voice rumbled through my mind. The battlements are clear on the ocean side. Go now.
I bolted, keeping low as I sprinted along the narrow walkway. My boots scuffed against the worn stone, but the wind swallowed any sound. No guards. Not a single one. The ocean churned below, the spray occasionally splashing the wall and dampening my grip as I clutched the edge for balance.
The next tower. Climb down now, Siergen instructed.
I reached the tower and swung over the side, lowering myself carefully until my feet found the stones braced like uneven steps. The cold bit into my fingers, but I climbed down as quickly as I could, my heart pounding in my chest.
Go to the castle’s east entrance. The guard patrol just moved past it.
I bolted through the courtyard, sticking to the shadows until I reached the castle’s side entrance. It was ajar, just enough to squeeze through.
The castle halls were quiet, the flicker of torchlight casting restless shadows across the walls.
My steps softened as I crept down the corridor, passing several closed doors until I reached Princess Elara’s.
The wooden door was shut tight, and no light glowed beneath it. Assuming she was asleep, I kept moving.
Siergen’s instructions were clear—just a few doors down. I stopped in front of the one marked with a carved dragon’s head —Hein’s likeness etched into the wood with intricate detail. Zander’s room.
I slipped inside, closing the door quietly behind me. The room was dim, lit only by the faint glow of embers in the fireplace. Zander’s bed lay just ahead—but before I could take another step, cold steel pressed against my throat.
“Going somewhere?” Zander’s voice was low and sharp, his breath warm against my cheek.
“Siergen told me to come,” I managed, my heart hammering in my chest.
“Fuck,” Zander hissed, the blade dropping away as he spun me around. His face was tight with tension, a sheen of sweat clinging to his brow. “I could have killed you.”
I swallowed hard, ignoring the sharp sting where the blade had kissed my skin. “Yeah,” I muttered. “I noticed.”
Zander stood before me, shirtless and barefoot, clad only in loose black silk pants that clung just enough to hint at the strength beneath. His hair was tousled from sleep, and I tried— really tried —not to stare at the cut of muscle across his chest, the sharp lines that carved down his abdomen.
He arched an eyebrow. “See something you like?”
I shrugged. “It’s weird seeing you without your flight armor.”
His smirk faded. “Why are you here, Rebec?” His tone was flat. He wasn’t pleased I’d infiltrated his room, and honestly, I couldn’t blame him.
“Someone is manipulating my father,” I said. “He thinks I’m involved with the king...and helping the Blood Fae. He may have put a contract on me.”
Zander’s expression hardened. “How could he think that? The attacks started long before the commoners were allowed in the guilds.”
I shrugged again. “I don’t know.”
My eyes drooped, my body aching from exhaustion. It had been a long, miserable night, and the weariness pressed down on me like a weight I couldn’t shake.
“You’re exhausted,” Zander said, his voice softer now.
“It’s been a night,” I muttered, swaying slightly where I stood.
“How do we get your father to rescind the order?” he asked.
I gave a dry laugh. “Prove I’m innocent, but that’s unlikely before he has me assassinated.”
Your human caregiver has no right to your life, Kaelith’s voice cut into my mind, sharp and fierce.
I grunted. Sorry, but you don’t get a vote here. Besides, you haven’t exactly been... around.
Despite what you may think, you are not my only concern.
I’m surprised I’m a concern at all. My dying frees you.
She was quiet for a moment, just long enough for me to feel her tension like a distant tremor.
Hein’s rider will protect you. That is an order.
“You can’t order Zander...” I realized too late I’d said it aloud.
“Sorry,” I muttered. “She’s being...her.”
Zander ran a hand down his face, clearly fighting the urge to ask questions. Instead, he moved closer, his gaze flicking down to where my hand rubbed at my ribs.
“Come on,” he said quietly, “you need to rest.”
His hand brushed my arm as he guided me toward his bed—not a forceful pull, just enough contact to make my pulse trip over itself. The warmth of his skin lingered long after he let go. I stood there awkwardly.
“You’re not seriously expecting me to sleep in your bed?” I asked, trying to sound indignant instead of breathless.
“I’ll take the floor,” Zander said with a tired smile. “But don’t be stubborn about this, Rebec. You’ll need your strength.”
“I’ll share the bed,” I said, tugging off my jacket and draping it over the chair near the door. I kicked off my boots and hesitated for a moment before unfastening my pants and stepping out of them. My shirt was long enough to cover most of my thighs, but still, heat crept into my face.
“I should warn you,” I added, tossing a glance over my shoulder. “I’ll probably snore. I’m too tired to care.”
Zander chuckled low in his throat. “I think I’ll survive.”
I climbed into his bed, curling onto my side. The mattress dipped slightly as he followed, and I felt the warmth of him almost immediately. He shifted closer, his chest brushing against my back as his arm settled loosely around my waist. I tensed, but only for a moment.
Gods, he was warm. His scent—leather, smoke, and something sharp I couldn’t quite name—wrapped around me, drawing me in.
“You fit,” Zander muttered behind me, almost like he was talking to himself.
I huffed a quiet laugh. “I’m sure that’s what you tell all the girls.”
His arm tightened, pulling me snug against him. My breath caught as his lips brushed against the curve of my shoulder, a whisper of contact. I wasn’t sure if he meant to or if I’d just imagined it.
“You know,” I murmured, my voice softer than I intended, “I didn’t think you trusted me.”
“I don’t trust anyone.” His voice was closer now, warm against my ear. “But you...you’re different.”
Different. The word clung to my thoughts, curling in my chest.
“Why?” I asked, feeling like I needed to know—like I deserved to know.
“I think...” Zander paused, his thumb grazing absently over my hip. “I think you know what it’s like—to feel like you have to be more than what you are just to survive.”
My throat tightened. “Yeah,” I whispered.
His breath stirred the hair at the nape of my neck, and I swore his lips brushed my skin again—soft, yet enough to make heat curl low in my stomach.
“You make me forget,” he said quietly. “For a little while at least.”
I swallowed hard. “Forget what?”
“That my life is not my own. That I’m not as strong as I should be.”
I turned slightly, just enough to glance back at him. His face was barely visible in the dark, but his eyes glinted—not the sharp lavender I was used to, but something softer.
“You are strong,” I whispered.
His fingers curled against my side, tightening like he was afraid to let go. “Not when I’m around you,” he said, his voice rough. “With you...I just want to be something else.”
I wanted to say something clever and meaningful, but words felt too awkward at that moment. Instead, I let myself sink back against him, trusting the steady rise and fall of his chest behind me.
“I know how to keep you safe,” Zander murmured, his voice barely more than a breath.
“How?” I whispered.
“By taking you on a hunt.”