Inderia turned toward the crowd, her smile dazzling, clapping lightly as she cast her gaze over the squads like she was already queen.
And then she looked at Zander.
“Of course,” she called, her voice as sweet as poisoned honey, “some weddings are a long time coming, aren’t they,Prince Zander?”
A ripple of confusion spread through the ranks. Several heads turned. Every dragon that had landed near us stirred.
Zander’s jaw flexed.
“After all,” Inderia continued, her hands folded demurely over her stomach, “it would be such a shame if old promises were forgotten, especially those sealed in royal blood.”
Tension cracked through the air like lightning. I felt my stomach twist as every rider from Fourth Guild turned toward Zander, whispering.
My own blood went cold.
Zander’s shoulders stiffened as he took a single step forward. “This isn’t the place.”
“Oh,” Inderia purred, “but I think it is. After all, the Fourth should know who their next princess will be.”
He didn’t speak.
Didn’t deny it.
Didn’t move.
And that silence was louder than any oath.
Theron’s hand slid to Inderia’s arm, fingers brushing over the fine silk of her sleeve with something too tender to be diplomatic. The kind of touch that saidmine, and not just in the way of kings and crowns.
“My nuptials will proceed in the coming weeks,” Theron declared to the crowd, voice rising like a trumpet.
Cheers erupted, nobles clapped, riders raised their fists, and the distant drums of the ceremonial cliffs thundered once in approval.
Zander… exhaled. Just slightly. His shoulders eased beneath his formal leathers as if he’d been bracing for something worse.
Inderia turned, smiling up at Theron as if he’d hung the moons himself. Then, slowly, she angled her gaze toward Zander. Her lips curled.
“Andyouare next.”
That fragile peace cracked.
Zander moved, deliberate, controlled, until his boots met the first step of the platform, but before he could say a word, Theron lifted his hand and pointed beyond him.
“Remand,” he called. “I wish a word with you and the Rebec girl.”
I swore under my breath and stepped forward, the stone beneath my boots suddenly feeling far too loud.
Remy was already moving beside me, and he didn’t look any happier than Zander did.
We stopped at the foot of the dais. Theron stood tall above us, radiating the kind of false calm that made my skin crawl.
He turned to Inderia and then looked at Zander. “It’s time you fulfill your obligation to Lady Inderia.”
Zander’s jaw clenched.
Then Theron’s eyes cut to me, and something in them gleamed with amusement. “As for you, Remand,” he said, voice laced with mock civility, “I want your honest opinion on the Sentinel. Can thiscommonerbring that dragon to heel?”
Remy didn’t move.
