“No! I just—I’ve never even left Briarlock.”
His eyebrows go up. “Really! Then I must return to make the journey with you. The mountains are rather spectacular from the other side. And the first events of the Royal Challenge will be quite entertaining.”
My heart is pounding so hard I don’t think it will ever stop.
“Promise you’ll take the silver. Promise you’ll leave if he returns.” He strokes a lock of hair back from my face. “I’ll worry for you while I’m gone.”
I swallow. “You’ll worry?”
The corner of his mouth quirks up. “I’m sure you’ll cross my mind at least once.”
I blush. “I promise.”
He ducks to fetch my crutches, then kisses me. “If I could stay for another day, I would.” Out in the workshop, Mercy knocks at her bucket again, followed by a muffled whicker.
I smile, though it feels a bit watery. “Your horse is ready to leave.”
“Mercy is always impatient.” He takes a step back, and traces a finger down the length of my chin. “Be well, Jax.”
I take a deep breath and close my eyes. I don’t want to watch him leave. “Be well, Tycho.”
His boots barely make a sound on the wooden floor, but I know thesound of the creaking hinges, and my eyes snap open. But the kettle whistles, and I turn to take it off the heat. By the time I make it to the door with one crutch and a cup of tea, he’s gone.
I sigh and return to the forge, stoking the coals. Tycho has left a small bag of silver on top of my tongs, and I feel the weight of it, then sigh and shove it into my pocket. At least I don’t have to worry about my father stealing it.
Passage to Ironrose Castle.
I can’t even imagine.
It’s still early, so I feed an ingot of iron to the forge and wait for it to heat. I’ve been shooting in the mornings, but right now that would make me think too much of the man who just left, so I might as well work.
A foot scrapes on the path, and I look up in surprise.
Callyn.
My heart almost stops in my chest. I remember the last thing I said to her—but I also remember the last things she said to me. Is she coming to have it out with me again? To tell me how amazing the treacherous Lord Alek is?
My face must wear a warning because she stops a short distance away. It feels like a mile.
“Did Lord Tycho visit you last night?” she finally says.
“Yes.” I turn the iron in the forge. “Did Lord Alek visityou?”
I’m being sarcastic, but she nods. “Yes. He did.”
I snap my eyes to hers. “He did?”
“He was worried Tycho was here to cause trouble.”
I hate the spike of worry that’s going to be lodged in my heart until I see him again. “Lord Alek should be more worried abouthimself.”
“Maybe he’s not, but I am.”
I frown, trying to make sense of that.
She takes advantage of my silence to stride across the distance between us. “Look,” she says in a rush, “I don’t know if Alek is usingmeor if Tycho is usingyou—”
“He’s not using me, Cal.”
