“Fine,” I say. “I’ll do it. Here. Have a muffin.”
She scoops one off the table and shoves half into her face.
Jax leans in to murmur, “What were you going to say? Are you short on silver, Cal? I can see what’s left of the stash I have buried.”
“We’re not short on silver,” Nora says brightly around a mouthful of muffin. “Lord Alek has been sending customers our way forweeks. Sometimes we run out of food and we have to turn them away.”
Jax goes very still. His eyes lock on mine.
“Jax,” I whisper.
“I thought he was scary,” Nora prattles on, “but he’s truly very kind. He brought me new boots last week.”
“Oh yeah?” Jax says tightly. His eyes don’t leave mine. “What else has he done?”
“He fixed the barn,” she says. “And the loose hinges on the door. Just there.” Her voice turns devious, and she cuts a glance at me. “And last night, I caught Calkissing—”
“NORA.”
Jax is already off the stool, stooping to fetch the quiver and bow. His eyes are hard and ice cold.
“Wait,” I say. “Jax. Wait.”
He rounds on me. “All this time, and I thought you were mad at me for ruining it. I didn’t realize you’d taken my place.”
“No!” I cry. “That’s not it at all! He was going—he was going to hurt you—”
“Yet you were kissing him. Sounds like a great deal of concern went through your thoughts.”
“You don’t know anything about it!” I snap, but he’s already at the door, and he throws it wide.
“Ido,” he says viciously. “I do know something about it. Because I wasdoingit, and I saw how he treated me, and I saw what he did to Lord Tycho. So whatever he’s told you, whatever he’s promised, it’s a lie, Callyn. I may have been using them for silver, but now they’re usingyou.” He gives me a pointed up-and-down glance. “For more than just passing notes, I’m assuming.”
I draw a sharp breath. “Don’t you dare.”
“You’re risking your neck,” he says. “At least I had nothing to lose.” He glances at Nora. “I don’t care how much silver he’s paying you. He’s conspiring against the Crown. He’s committing treason. And nowyou’rethe one helping him. What will happen to your sister when you’re caught?”
“What?” Nora whispers.
“What if the king is usingmagicagainst the queen?” I snap. “You know what he did to my father. How is it treason if Alek is being loyal to the queen?”
Jax swears. “He got to you. Now you’re on their side. I should have figured.”
“You were also committing treason! And now you’re lusting after the King’s Courier!”
He flushes, but his eyes are full of nothing but anger. “You’re right. So turn me in. We can hang beside each other, just like you wanted.” Then he slams the door.
I throw a muffin at it.
It’s not satisfying.
Nora is staring at me with wide eyes. “Is he right? Are you committing treason?” she whispers.
“No,” I say sharply. “Of course not.”
For half a second, I expect her to start pelting me with questions, and I’m going to be tempted to throw myself into the ovens. I press my hand over the pendant that hangs over my heart and draw a slow breath.
Instead, my sister strides across the floor to wrap me up in a hug. “It’ll be all right,” she says, and it’s only then that I realize I’m crying. “It’ll be all right, Cally-cal.”
