“Yes, but the question is how? The wards around the castle should have kept them out.” He runs a hand through his dark hair, clearly perturbed.
I knit my brows together as I think.
“Who’s to say they aren’t an exception to the wards? If those are the same creatures that came through the portal, then maybe the wards can’t recognize them. Maybe it’s a different kind of magic—magic not of this world.”
Jace glances at me.
“It would make sense. If they aren’t from Solterre, then our magic wouldn’t protect against them. It wouldn’t know how. Which doesn’t bode well for us,” he adds darkly.
“That and the fact that they don’t stay dead,” I mutter, staring out the window at the gloomy day. Jace pauses his anxious pacing.
“Your scream worked on them.Youworked.”
“You were about to die,” I whisper, holding his gaze. “I just snapped.”
He inches closer to the bed.
“If you hadn’t screamed, then I wouldn’t be standing here right now. You saved my life. All of our lives.”
A long silence falls.
“You shouldn’t be here,” I say quietly, dropping my eyes to the comforter.
“You’re the Dragon Rider—you’re high priority. And aside from that, as my trainee, you are my responsibility.”
“That’s such bullshit.” I toss the covers back and plant my feet on the ground. “The princess is thehighestpriority, not to mention your fiancé, and yet here you are. Bothering me.”
“Would you rather I go to her then?” he challenges.
“Don’t do that.” I point at him sharply. “Don’t ask questions you already know the answers to.”
He leans against the bedpost and says, “I wanted to finish our conversation from last night.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose and close my eyes. “What more is there to say?”
“Plenty, little witch.” A sigh empties from his chest. “I wasn’t expecting things to happen like this, but the attack in the maze scared the king. If Sorscha had been hurt or killed, his line would have died with her. He said he couldn’t allow that to happen—that she needed to marry immediately to come into her power and start producing heirs. That was what we discussed in our meeting. He moved me up to Hand so that I would be of a worthy enough station to marry her. We worked out the details, drew up the contract, and it was settled.”
“You drew up the contract, and it was settled.” I laugh humorlessly. “How romantic.”
He eyes me keenly. I know it’s no one’s fault and that my anger is misplaced on him. These are just our circumstances. Still, I can’t help the acid that leaks into my voice.
“What was Kylian doing there?” I try for a more agreeable tone.
“Discussing Sorscha’s betrothal with Derek. Kylian and his mother had initially vetted Kai as a match, but something changed his mind, and he went to the king to withdraw him as an option. Then he put his support behind me.”
“That’s suspicious. Why wouldn’t he want Kai on the throne after the attack?”
“I don’t know,” he admits.
I hop off the bed. “I’ll find out.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means that I am going to charm him and get to the bottom of it. Something is not right here, and my gut is telling me he has something to do with it.” I head toward the wardrobe, but he blocks me with his rock-hard body.
“What are you doing?” he demands.
“Getting dressed, obviously. The service for Ilsa is starting soon.”
