Zander flinched like I’d slapped him.
I didn’t wait for him to recover. I turned and shoved the door open, the warmth and noise of the barracks rushing back to meet me like a shield. Then I slammed it behind me.
Cordelle was sitting on his bed, arms crossed, watching me with a grim expression.
“You know Zander isn’t the only royal with a marriage contract, right?” he said, one brow arching slightly. “Theron is engaged, and I assumed you knew about Stormforge’s leader.”
Ferrula grunted. “The one betrothed to Dorian?”
Cordelle nodded slowly. “She’s a beauty. Cold as winter steel. And dangerous. Her father started a rebellion before they silenced him. Rumor is... she became a rider after her marriage contract was in place. Apparently, Dorian became quite taken with her after her dragon chose her. I think they are actually in love. But if anyone has ties to the Varnari… it could be her.”
A heavy silence fell over the squad.
Bound by treaties. Bound by secrets. Bound by blood we didn’t choose.
I looked around at them. Jax, Naia, Tae, Ferrula, Riven, even Cordelle had a haunted glint in his eye, and it hit me hard.
Everyone’s tied to someone in this place.
Even Remy, I realized with a sick twist of my stomach. He was a noble. He had to have a bride.
Chapter
Two
The dining hall buzzed with morning noise, muffled conversations, the scrape of cutlery against stone plates, the low crackle of the hearth fire burning at the far end.
I picked at the bread on my plate, tearing it into small, meaningless pieces as I tried and failed to ignore the weight of a certain pair of eyes.
Zander.
I could feel his gaze, brief and pointed, skimming over me every few minutes like he couldn’t help himself.
He was sitting across the hall with Cade, the two of them deep in conversation, their heads tilted close together. Cade said something that made Zander bark a short, humorless laugh, but even then, his mind shimmered against mine. Light and fleeting. A whisper against the wards I hadn’t bothered to raise.
Don’t,I warned silently, lowering my gaze to my plate.Don’t you dare.
The whisper grew stronger.
Will you go to tonight’s banquet with me?His voice brushed across my mind, low and rough.Before you say no, it’s not a date.
I stabbed a piece of sausage with unnecessary force.
I wish to find out more about the Crimson Sigil and the Varnari, he continued.Both must have royal contacts inside Warriath.
I sat there, my hands curling tighter around my fork.
For a long moment, I didn’t answer. Let him sweat. Let him wonder.
Then finally, without lifting my eyes from my plate, I let the thought slip free.Yes. But only because we need that information.
Across the room, I caught the subtle tension ease from his shoulders.
Zander shifted like he wanted to say more. And sure enough, the words pushed into my mind almost immediately, tight, rushed, desperate.
About Inderia...
No.
