But I knew the writing the moment I saw it.
Cyran.
My fingers trembled slightly as I unfolded it, the ink dark and precise. Whatever he had to say…
It wasn’t meant for anyone else.
I lowered the letter in my hands, heart still pounding from the signature alone, and glanced sideways at Teren.
“Can you run interference for me?” I whispered. “Both Zander and Remyhateit when I meet with my father.”
Teren followed my gaze toward the edge of the grounds, where Remy was deep in conversation with the major—though his eyes flicked to us more often than necessary, suspicion already blooming in his stare.
“Yeah,” Teren muttered, a crooked grin tugging at his mouth. “Ilovegetting under Saulter’s skin.”
He stepped smoothly beside me, sliding his arm across my shoulders like we were old lovers instead of co-conspirators.
“How about we take a stroll, Rebec,” he said, loud enough to carry across the wind-swept field.
I rolled my eyes. “You’reterrible.”
But I walked with him, letting his casual banter and easy grin shield me from the eyes Iknewwere tracking our every move. We made our way across the training field toward the gate, Teren laughing just loud enough to make it seem like we were reminiscing about some ridiculous squad tale.
When we were close enough, he paused near a weather-worn statue, turning to face me and gesturing animatedly with his hands.
To anyone watching, we were just two riders talking.
With his back to the Ascension Grounds and Remy’s gaze, I slipped into the alley behind the outer wall, heart in my throat.
And then I ran.
The village streets were quiet this late in the evening, the light dimming into a pale-rose as the last warmth of sun slipped beyond the rooftops. I kept my hood up, steps quick but purposeful, threading my way through cobbled alleys and broken fences until I reached The Crooked Claw, its sign swinging lazily above the door, warped from age and salt air.
Inside, the tavern was dim and low-lit, the scent of old smoke and stronger drink lingering in the wooden beams. I moved past full tables, eyes avoiding mine, shoulders shifting to give me passage.
They knew who I was.
And they knew why I was here.
My suspicions were confirmed the moment I reached the stairwell at the back—leading to the tunnels below.
Solei stood waiting at the top step, arms folded, a dagger glinting faintly at her hip. She looked like a shadow with a face I knew too well.
“Hello, sister,” she said, her voice cool.
And just like that, the warmth of the world slipped away.
The wooden stairs creaked beneath our feet as I descended with Solei, the darkness thickening the deeper we went. The torches lining the stone walls flickered low, casting long shadows across the rough-hewn walls of the tunnel. It smelled of earth and secrets.
“How are you?” she asked softly, her voice less guarded in the hush of the underground. “Did you bond your dragon?”
“Yes,” I said, my voice flat. “But it’s more of a marriage of convenience than a true bond.”
She slowed, blinking as she glanced sideways at me. “That’s not like you.”
“It’sexactlylike her,” I said, my tone clipped. “And I’m done being her bitch.”
Solei’s lips quirked at the edges. “I like the new you.”
