“What were you doing with Kylian?”
“He asked me to sit by him. Said he wanted to get to know me.”
“Tell me you didn’t fall for that line of bullshit,” he growls. I toss him a sharp look.
“I’m not an idiot. I just wanted to find out how much he saw last night.”
“And did you?” he presses.
“Yes. I did. He saw everything. He knows.”
Jace scowls, his jaw tightening. “He can’t be trusted.”
“You don’t think I know that?” I toss my hair over my shoulder. “The timing of his arrival here is suspicious. I intend to find out why.”
“By seducing him?”
“By any means necessary.”
“You’re playing with fire.Serena.” He tugs on my arm, pulling me to face him. “He knows you’re the last Blackblood. This is exactly what we wanted to prevent from happening.”
“This was always going to happen.” I jerk my arm away. “Other kingdoms were bound to find out, eventually. And I don’t think he would be stupid enough tosteal me awayin the night. The king would be on his ass in a second.”
He sighs, shaking his head. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“You know what, Jace?” I take a step closer, angling my face up to his. “Who I spend my time with and what I do is none of your concern. I have to go.”
I takea big swig from the bottle of liquor I found in Zadyn’s room.
The glass presses against my lips, stifling my sobs. I swallow down the wrong pipe and go into a coughing fit, choking on my own spit. I force out slow, deep breaths until my chest eventually softens and my throat unlocks.
“You look terrible.”
Mar slips through the door quietly. I toss her a desolate lookand hold out the bottle. She takes it silently and sips, easing into the seat beside me.
“To loving men who are engaged.” I reach for the bottle and give a half-assed toast to no one.
“I’m not sure how much longer I can do this,” I admit after a long silence.
“Do what?” she asks gently.
“Survive Jace,” I say. “I can bond a dragon, I can take out a bunch of raging beasts with one scream, but this I’m not sure I can do.”
“You love him,” Mar states.
I nod sadly. “And so does Sorscha. It’s so obvious. She looks at him like he walks on water. And it is killing me. I know it’s wrong, I know how selfish I sound, but I can’t stay away. I can’t turn off my feelings.”
“Then you need to prepare yourself for what is about to happen.” She eyes me evenly, her gray stare cutting through me.
“Jace and Sorscha are engaged. They will rule together as king and queen when Derek steps down. You have to let him go, or you will be the one left hurt and alone in the end.”
“I can’t stay away from him. I’ve tried, Mar.”
“You’re going to have to get used to the idea.”
“Why? Did an engagement ever stop you from being with Dover? You just steamrolled right over the whole idea, right over Wyneth.”
A flash of hurt flickers in her expression, and I slightly regret bringing that up.
