“She’s lovely,” I say. “She taught me how toshield myself.”
“And it’s still holding quite well,”Nyxa says, her voice full of pride. A small smile tugs at my lips despite the tension in the room.“You won’t need to do maintenance for at least another few days.”
“And she’s been in your head for how long?”
The days have been blurring together, time moving faster than it ever has before, but at this point…I’ve been at the palace for about a month, but I onlyreallybegan hearing her a week ago, or at least, that’s when I started talking to her back.
“Not long. She was able to feel me before I felt her.”
“That would make sense if her connection to the element formed before yours.” He brings his hand to his chin, as if this is something in need of serious contemplation.
I wish he would believe me when I told him that Nyxa wasn’t a threat. I know she’s not. I canfeelit. But he seems a bit more skeptical than I ever was.
“Nyxa,”I ask her, suddenly curious,“when did your ability to call upon the flames occur?”We spend so much time talking about me, focusing onme, that I really haven’t asked much about her, and now I feel selfish.
“Do not feel that way, Serafina. We focus on you because your third trial approaches. We’ll have all the time in the world to talk about me when I arrive. That’s a promise.”
I shake my head at that.“You didn’t answer my question.”
She sighs.“It was a very long time ago.”
“And where is she from?” Jax’s words interrupt me from our conversation.
“I…uh…”
I asked her once before, but the question never got answered.
“Why is the prince so interested in me?”she huffs, and I can’t say I blame her for not wanting Ryjax, a royalanda shadow wielder, to know more about her.
“Enough questions about Nyxa,” I say, moving closer to him. “Let’s talk about you.”
“Me?” His response is incredulous, as if I’ve suggested something utterly absurd.
“Yes, you,” I press. “You may be good at hiding your emotions, but you’re notthatgood. Something happened, and whatever it is, you’re clearly not okay.”
He crosses his arms, his eyes failing to meet mine, and his fingers twitch, as if resisting the urge to reach out for something.
“Orsomeone.”Nyxa chuckles, and I roll my eyes.
“Fine,” I say, refusing to hide the frustration in my voice. “Have it your way.”
Releasing a sigh, I walk away from him, realizing that it doesn’t matter how close Ithinkwe’ve grown. It doesn’t matter that he told me I couldknowhim. It doesn’t matter that he spent all of last night dancing with me and only me because when it really comes down to it…he is still the prince.
And I will never know him.
Not really.
“Serafina.” He says my name as if it pains him, and the sound of it on his lips has me stopping dead in my tracks, and then I feel him behind me, releasing a shaky breath.
I spin, and he’s right there. Not even a step away.
There’s so much torment in his gaze, and my heart aches something painful, sharp and deep, like it might tear me apart.
“Friends are allowed to comfort each other, you know,” I say, trying my best to hide the waver in my voice as I raise my hand ever so slowly to rest on his cheek.
He leans into my touch, and his eyes flutter shut, but I don’t miss the way his entire body shudders, and how mine begs to, too.
“Is that what we are, Nova?” His voice is low and ragged. “Friends?”
