33. Saoirse
Saoirse
T he library was empty except for our group. Vane and I sat close together, reviewing the final details of our plan. The tension once so palpable between us had settled into a comfortable ease instead.
“You have to make sure the distraction lasts long enough,” Vane said, his voice low and urgent. “If our timing is off, we won’t be able to retrieve the shard.”
I nodded, my finger tracing the path we’d mapped out and memorized. We were fine tuning the details now, making sure everyone knew exactly what we needed to do. Xan watched quietly as the rest of us discussed, her role in this scheme already clearly outlined.
The last two weeks had left a shell of a person in my sister, her body more angular and thin than it had been the last time I’d seen her. Dark, heavy circles hung from beneath her eyes, as if she hadn’t slept well in days. She said she was fine, never taking support from anyone, but this had clearly worn her down.
If there was a chance to kill our father in this heist, then maybe I would.
“A distraction for what?” Len’s voice cut through the calm, making me jump. He stood in the doorway, his arms crossed over his bare chest, an eyebrow raised in suspicion.
I exchanged a quick glance with Vane before turning to face Len. “Just trying to distract Xan from her nerves for tomorrow, that’s all.” I shot a reassuring smile, hoping he didn’t see the lie behind my eyes.
Len’s eyes narrowed, clearly unconvinced. “You expect me to believe that?
Vane stood, his expression hard. I watched him, worried he might try something violent against a prince who was likely just as combat trained as he was. “It’s nothing that concerns you, Miren.”
Len didn’t budge. His gaze swept across us, lingering on the map sprawled out on the table. “Whatever this is, it looks bigger than just some pre-wedding jitters. I’m not leaving until you explain. Tomorrow is a very important day for both our kingdoms.”
I swallowed, unsure of how to navigate this. Would the truth be safe with Len?
Vane shifted beside me, and I knew he was one wrong move away from doing something reckless.
“You’re right,” I said quickly, stepping between them. “There’s more going on. But it’s not something you need to worry about. The wedding is still happening.”
Len’s stare hardened, his voice growing quiet. “Why don’t you let me decide what I need to worry about?”
He took a step forward, his gaze now falling on the diagram of the palace. I could see the moment the pieces clicked in his mind. His eyes widened, flicking back to me. “You’re planning something dangerous.”
I glanced at the others. Vane’s hand twitched, as if ready to drag Len out by force. Xan remained silent, watching the exchange from her corner of the room, unreadable.
“You don’t understand,” I started, but Len cut me off .
“Then help me understand. What’s going on? What are you after?” His voice was low, but there was no mistaking the steel behind it.
Vane sighed, looking down, and then I knew. There was no way out of this without risking everything. But telling him outright felt wrong, too easy, too trusting.
We didn’t know him.
I shared a quick look with Vane, then Xan, who gave a subtle nod. Fine. We couldn’t tell him the truth, so now it was time to lie.
“We’re planning a surprise.”
Len’s brow shot up, skeptical. “A surprise?”
“I nodded, keeping my voice as steady as I could, feigning excitement for the upcoming nuptials. “For Xan and Kian. Something personal, in a secret part of the castle where no one will bother them.”
Len’s eyes flicked between us. “And you couldn’t just say that?”
“I wanted it to be a surprise,” I said quickly, rolling my eyes. “Now that you know you’re going to go tell Kian and its all going to be ruined. We just thought it would be nice for them to have a special wedding night, away from the craziness that is going to be the rest of their lives.”
I looked to Xan, who forced a convincing smile at her future brother-in-law. “Where we can…truly be alone,” she said with a blush, her eyes looking to the floor demurely.
“Len’s skepticism didn’t fade, his arms crossing as he gave us a hard look. “That seems like a lot of effort for the wedding night of an arranged marriage.”
I feigned an annoyed sigh. “Xan has been under so much pressure with everything. She deserves one night of peace.” I added a touch of frustration to my tone, hoping he would believe the story was coming from a place of genuine care. I was very careful not to make direct eye contact, not wanting his powers to influence my word choice. “But if you’d rather ruin it, by all means, go tell Kian. ”
His gaze shifted to Xan, and for a moment, I thought he might actually see through us. But Xan played her part well. She bit her lip, her hands fiddling with the edge of her sleeve. “I… I know it’s silly, but I just wanted one moment with him before everything changes,” she said softly, her voice trembling slightly. “Something that’s just ours.”
Len’s expression softened at her words, though his suspicion wasn’t fully gone, as he stared at Xan. Finally, he sighed. “Fine. I won’t say anything.” He pointed a finger at us. “But if this backfires, it’s on you.”
I forced a grin, relief washing over me. “Thanks, Len. You won’t regret this.”
He gave us one last skeptical look before turning toward the door. “Just…try not to make this any more complicated than it already is.”
The moment he left, the tension in the room snapped, and I exhaled sharply.
Under his breath, Vane muttered, “That was too close.”