She splutters, pulling back. “It was just a one-off thing.”
I laugh, the sound rumbling through my chest.
She pushes away from me. “Come on.”
We bathe before heading to the study—the smell of sex and mating clings to us both, and while I don’t particularly care whoknows what we’ve been doing, Daciana insists. I watch her scrub herself clean, fighting the urge to pull her back to bed.
The mating mark gleams on her neck even more when wet, a brand that makes the primal part of me settle with satisfaction.
We dress and then walk together to go see Lucian. Guards nod respectfully as we pass. Nothing seems amiss. But when we enter the study, I take in the scene immediately. Lucian stands behind his desk, his expression grave. Astra is near the window, her face tight with barely contained anger. Seth leans against the wall, arms crossed. Leon stands rigidly near the door, his jaw set.
The air in the room feels charged. My instincts sharpen.
I keep my voice level. “What’s this about?”
Lucian’s jaw tightens. “Last night, there was an attack on one of the candidates vying to be your mate.”
I go very still. “What does that have to do with us?”
Lucian meets my gaze, and I see regret there. Real, genuine regret. “The woman and her mother claim it was Daciana.”
Daciana stiffens beside me. Fury blazes through the bond so intensely, it nearly buckles my knees. Seth’s expression darkens. Astra’s hands clench into fists. Leon’s face is carved from stone.
“I never attacked anybody,” Daciana hisses.
“Where were you last night?” Lucian asks, though his tone suggests he’s going through the motions more than anything else.
She looks at me.
“She was with me,” I reply to the King.
Lucian shakes his head. “That’s not good enough. She’s your chosen liaison. Of course you’d defend her.”
Heat floods my chest—possessive, protective, violent. “I marked Daciana last night.” I let the words hang in the air, watching understanding dawn on their faces. “Anyone who lives on that hallway can verify that we never left her chambers.”
Astra makes a sound—half gasp, half squeal—and claps her hands over her mouth. Her eyes are huge, excitement breaking through her anger for just a moment.
Leon’s face goes carefully blank, but I catch the flash of pain before he locks it down. “I saw Daciana last night around eight.” His voice is steady, measured. “The attack was at midnight. If it can be proven she was in her quarters at that time, the claims are baseless.”
“Who made the accusation?” Daciana’s voice is tight as she restrains her anger.
Lucian’s expression hardens. “Lady Celeste.”
Daciana goes rigid. Through the bond, I feel her rage spike—hot and immediate and utterly justified.
“Lady Celeste and her companions attacked Daciana yesterday afternoon.” My voice betrays my anger, each word sharp. “They used wolfsbane on her. I can attest to that.”
“What?” Astra’s voice cracks.
Seth straightens from the wall. Leon’s fist tightens at his side. Lucian’s eyes narrow dangerously.
“It seems this was not the first time they’ve attacked Daciana,” I add.
“Kieran—” Daciana’s warning growl rumbles through the bond, but I ignore it.
Astra crosses the room in three strides. She grabs Daciana’s shoulders, her face revealing both fury and hurt. “Is this true?”
Daciana doesn’t answer immediately. I feel her wrestling with the truth, with loyalty, with the instinct to protect even when she is the one who has been hurt.
