I think of Jax sliding silver across the table to me. I think of finding him in the barn, milking Muddy May. I think of him blushing over stories or forging iron or letting me cry on his shoulder after my mother died.
Where does your loyalty lie?
With Nora. With Jax. With the people close to me.
“Yes,” I whisper. “I am willing to hang next to him. Just like I was willing to take that blade meant for Nora.”
Alek blinks, then withdraws a bit. His hands slide off my wrists.
“Maybe Iwasn’twasting my time,” he says. “Put down the knife.”
I hesitate, glancing at his guards, then set it on the table. “Fine.”
“Lady Karyl suggested that you were trustworthy,” he says. “But she had not met you.”
I resist the urge to rub at my wrists. “So you came to find out?”
“I did, in fact. I wasn’t sure I recognized you on the first night I came here. I needed to return to be sure.” He pauses. “But I don’t like when people work for nothing more than silver. It makes it far too easy for them to be swayed by the highest bidder.” He pauses, and his voice takes on a note of anger. “And I watched Jax spend the day with the King’s Courier. It makes me wonder which side he’s playing here.”
Now it’s my turn to stare. “He … he did?”
“He did indeed. I was going to wait and seek my message privately, but I determined it would be better to claim it before it could fall into the wrong hands.”
Oh, Jax.What are you doing?
“Jax is trustworthy,” I say. “I’d stake my life on it.”
“Would you?” he says brightly. “I’m glad to hear it.” He pauses. “Tell me why.”
I fumble for words. “Because he’s been my friend forever.” That’s all I want to say, but Lord Alek is still watching me intently. Waiting.
“Since … since before he lost his foot,” I add. “Since we thought he’d be a soldier.” I hesitate. “Since before my parents died.”
“How did your parents die?”
The words pull at my heart, and I don’t want to answer him—but surely he can find out. “My father—he was part of the Uprising.” I swallow. “That’s why we were there.”
“Killed by the king’s magic, then.” He pauses. “And your mother? Was she involved as well?”
“No. She died in the war.” My voice is so soft. “The war against Emberfall. She was slaughtered by the monster.”
Lord Alek goes very still. “Our king was involved with thatmonster.”
I swallow. “That’s rumor.”
“That’sfact.”
“I don’t—I don’t know—”
“He’s a magesmith. His daughter is a magesmith.” His lip curls. “That monster was created by magic. His bond with our queen was forged with magic.” His voice drops. “Our country has beenstolenby magic. Your blacksmith accuses me of treason. But ourkingcommits the greatest treason of all.” His eyes hold mine. He’s so close, his voice so low. For the first time, I notice a light smattering of freckles across his nose, and it’s the first sign of anything that makes him look less severe.
Then he adds, “That monster killedmymother as well.”
My breath catches.
He nods. “And then the king and Tycho killed my sister. For daring to be the first to take a stand against magic.”
I’m frozen in place. “Your sister was the queen’s adviser,” I whisper. Father used to tell us stories of the woman who found artifacts that could bind magic.Iishellasan steel, like Tycho’s rings. There was supposedly a dagger that could kill the king.
