I lower my hand and study him. He’s been so quiet and still since I began, and there’s something so surprising about that. Maybe because I’ve already witnessed the violence and savagery I expected to find in this man—right alongside the candor and empathy I did not.
“What?” he says.
You’re so much kinder than anyone knows. Why do you keep that a secret?
But of course I can’t say that. I touch the cloth to his forehead again, even though most of the blood is gone. “How much farther do we need to travel?”
“We won’t reach the border until after sundown, I’d think. Once we’re safely within Incendar, we’ll break for the night and set off at dawn tomorrow.”
“And then how much farther will we have to go?”
“From the border, it’s less than a day’s ride to Lastalorre. After we reach the palace, I’ll have Sev send runners to the front, to see how the army has fared since I’ve been away. From there, we can determine how to approach your brother about the attack—and how to proceed.”
Lastalorre.His capital city. A little shiver goes through me. Days ago, I hated the idea of Maddox Kyronan dragging me across the border, but now it feels like we can’t go fast enough.
But then I realize what else he said.
From there, we can determine how to approach your brother.
We.
At every step, he treats me as an equal, and it’s so unexpected—especially since I’ve seen the power and force he can wield. It’s clear that Dane and my father have no interest in what I have to offer, so their attitude has never been a surprise. But even though Asher has never been dismissive of my views, he’s still treated me as someone to be guarded and protected. Someone to be sheltered.
I wonder if Asher always longed for that protection—all while I was desperate to escape it.
The blood on Ky’s skin finally yields, so I lower my hand.
“Thank you,” he says.
“You’re welcome.” As I say the words, heat sparks on my cheeks again. Something about this feels more intimate than it needs to be, like we’re talking about something other than the journey. He keeps lighting these fires of attraction that refuse to dim.
I duck my head, swiping my hands on my cloak. I’m suddenly aware that we’ve earned the focus of his men, though they’re trying not to be obvious about it. Behind him, I see that Asher is watching this interaction now, too.
I have to clear my throat, because I’m self-conscious now. “When we arrive, what will Princess Victoria think of everything that has transpired?” I say. “Will she demand that you reconsider the alliance?”
Ky frowns, and a glimmer of emotion passes over his expression. “As I said, Victoria has no interest in politics.”
My mouth forms a line. I remember how he expectedmeto be stoic and uninterested, so it makes me wonder if that’s exactly what I’m going to find in his sister. “Not even when your life is at risk?” I say.
He sighs. “My life is always at risk, Princess.” I inhale to press further, but he turns away. His voice rises as he calls to his captain. “Sev! I want to make sure we reach the spire lookout by dusk. Have them mount up.”
When I turn back to head for my horse, Asher isn’t watching me anymore. Instead, he’s glaring at his own mount like it’s an adversary. The bruising along his jaw and up the side of his face is worse today, but I know that’s not the worst of it. The armor is likely pressing into the burn on his shoulder—or maybe the countless other injuries he earned in the dungeon.
I can’t take this distance between us. Not when so much of his pain is my fault. I square my shoulders and join him beside his horse.
He doesn’t even look up.
I hesitate, then wet my lips. “Asher.”
“Jory.”
The silence between us practically screams. I want to ask if he’s all right, but it’s obvious that he’s not.
“Ky said we’ll cross the border around nightfall,” I finally say.
“Oh, good.” His voice is flat. “Another six hours of this.”
“I can ask the king to slow the pace,” I offer.
