I’m bound to her. There is no escaping. I can only turn and face my torturous fate.
“Zadyn, I hate this.” She moves toward me, her shoulders sinking as she hits me with a pleading look. “What can I do? What can I say to make things right?”
I brush past her to the armoire and snatch my jacket from inside. “There’s nothing you need to do or say, Serena. You did nothing wrong.”
“Well, it really feels like I fucked up somehow.”
“You know, contrary to your belief, not everything is about you.” I punch my arm through my sleeve.
“Oh, so your piss-poor mood right now has nothing to do with last night? With me? Great. Cool.”
“It’s my problem to deal with. Not yours.”
“Zadyn—where are you going?”
“I’m still the king’s emissary. I have business to tend to.”
I refrain from telling her that the business Jace has “tasked” me with involves me finding out whatever I possibly can in order to break her bargain with Kylian. Which I was planning to do, anyway.
Am I being purposefully vague and elusive about it? Maybe a little. Sue me.
“Oh, so now we’re being secretive?”
“I thought we were allowed to have secrets.”
“Zadyn, please. Don’t treat me like this.”
Sighing, I turn back to her. “I just—I need time, Serena. I think we both do.”
Disappointment creeps over her perfect face, and I feel a stab of pain knowing I’m the one causing it. Shoving it down, I start to exit the room, but her voice stops me in the doorway.
“I meant what I said last night,” she says. “I do want you. And I do love you. I’m just really confused right now. I’m trying to figure it out. I’m sorry.”
Rare words from her.
“I’m sorry,” she repeats, no louder than a whisper.
And instead of showing her compassion, instead of saying,I appreciate you telling me that,I nod once, wrenching open the door and say, “Got it.”
I stareat the odd-looking bird in Gnorr’s study. It peers back with eyes too aware for a small winged creature, its snow-white feathers ruffling as Gnorr’s wrinkled hands tuck it back inside the cage.
“I found her with a broken wing. Nursed her back to health. I tried setting her free after she had healed, but she seemed quite content to stay.” Settling into the chair behind her desk, she waits for me to speak.
“Madame Gnorr, I need to ask you something.”
“What is it, child?”
“It’s about a bargain. Serena made a deal to leave here with Kylian. To marry him.” I pause. “Is there any way for it to be undone?”
“Aside from both parties agreeing to dissolve the bargain? No. It cannot be broken. Not short of death.”
Acid eats through my stomach. “But Kylian will never agree to that.”
Reaching across the desk, she pats my hand. “It is her path to walk. Have faith in her.”
“I have all the faith in the world in her. And still I wouldn’t risk her like this.”
“To love someone is to risk everything. But I think you already know that.” She appraises me with cool blue eyes. I shift forward in my seat, desperation creeping into my voice.
