“He is preoccupied today.”
Then he can speak to the king on your behalf.
I tilted my head. “You believe King Damir will bend on this? He is waging war, not entertaining guests.”
Roark closed his eyes for a breath, then spoke in hurried gestures.He might get him to delay, use the wedding as a reason. At least we would have more time.
Kael squinted, clearly doing his best to follow, and in the end he nodded. “If there’s a chance the prince can help us create a delay, then I agree we should tell him. Even one night could help, Ly.”
Roark made a move for the door.
“Wait.” I shot to my feet. “That’s the decision? No otheroptions? What if Prince Thane can’t meet with the king, or what if Damir doesn’t listen? What then? We have no other plans, and if we have no other plans, what do we do if it all goes awry?”
Words tumbled free in a rush of breath. Roark altered his course and took my face in his palms, soothing the panic with a few strokes of his thumbs over my cheeks.
For a moment we were alone, and Kael was not a silent observer. It was only us.
Roark pulled his hand away to speak.We have no time for other plans.If it does not work, I will take to blades if needed to get you free of these walls.
I gripped his wrists. “That’s what worries me. You cannot take on an entire unit of Stav and live.”
Roark pressed a kiss to the side of my head before gently moving his fingers near my face.No faith in me.
“Bastard.” I pinched his waist. “That’s not what I’m saying.”
My skin was colder when he stepped back, returning to the door.One bell toll. Give me that. If it does not work, we run. By any means.
“I could try to meld. It might not be so taxing. Didn’t Damir say I had more connection to the bones than even Fadey?”
“No,” Kael insisted at the same time Roark shook his head. “Not even worth the risk.”
Roark pointed at Kael, agreeing, then looked back to me.One bell.
My chest tightened with nerves when the door clicked at his back.
“I believe him,” Kael said, studying the door. “After seeing what he did to Tomas, he’d burn Stonegate to the ground if it meant you were safe.”
“I’d like to avoid bloodshed.” I went to the window, unable to keep still.
Outside, folk traipsed the inner gates for the wedding feast, dressed in fine fur cloaks, jerkins, and gold-trimmed gowns.
King Hundur and his queen walked among them, condescending to their jarls and nobles. He still preened over his new melded claws, hardly concerned over the death of Ser Grisen. Hundur never cared Tomas’s jaw had been manipulated; he only cared about being made a fool by the young melder. Today was a time of glory and power for him as his folk and Jorvan’s offered boons to their house with well-wishes that his daughter’s marriage would carry on his glorious line.
Tomas Grisen was nothing but a forgotten name to the Myrdan king now.
I had yet to catch a glimpse of Damir and Ingir.
“I should’ve run with you.” Kael rested a hand on his seax pommel. “I was selfish, Ly.”
“Selfish? Kael, you are not selfish.”
He shook his head. “I wanted to prove Jakobson wrong for dismissing me. Gods, I wanted to rise in the ranks of the Stav so desperately. I never should’ve gone to training.”
“It’s required for every son.”
“I don’t give a damn.” Kael rubbed the back of his neck. “Lyra, I lost my family, but found you. You are my sister and I…I should’ve run with you. Hidden you.”
My face pinched. I flung my arms around his waist. “It isn’t on you, fool.”
