“They said Thanlyl, I believe. We will be gone for two days.”
Samian nodded, his face grave. The shadow moved to a corner behind me, and I stilled. Biting the inside of my cheek, I looked around to see if anyone noticed and found Ivara staring past me; her gaze narrowing on the apparition. Her eyes flicked to mine, and I sucked in a breath, looking down at the table. My body felt cold, and I could still feel her watching me.
“We’ll leave once it gets darker,” Samian said, not noticing what happened. “Until then, I’ll help you pack your bag for the trip. Ivara and I will probably be left behind, but with Daelan as the new war general, I’m sure he will be going.”
“Oh, I’ll be finding a way to go,” Ivara drawled with a sensuous smile. “I want to spend more time with my new friend, without you lot being so bothersome, so…vexing.”
I couldn’t help the small smile that formed. This female was a force to be reckoned with, a tempest that created her own way. If Samian’s kiss wasn’t permanently marked on my lips, I think I would have fallen in love.
Quietly, I huffed a small laugh and stood, walking to my bedroom, leaving Daelan and Ivara behind. Samian followed closely, putting his hand on my lower back. The touch sent electricity through me, and I wanted nothing more than to press into it, but I couldn’t forget my conversation with Queen Cassia. I couldn’t forget the foretelling she gave me. Die and let Samian and Kieran live, or doom us all.
I stepped away from his hand, unable to stand the warmth of his touch.
“What’s wrong?” Samian asked, his voice sounding edged from the distance I put between us.
“Nothing,” I replied, immediately going to the closet.
Samian grabbed my arm, turning me to face him. “I know something is wrong. Ever since you visited Aster, something has been bothering you. Tell me what it is.”
I jerked my arm from his grip. “Nothing’s wrong. We stayed up late, and I’m tired. Are you going to help me or not?”
Samian let out a frustrated breath but took my traveling bag from the shelf. “I know you’re lying, Sybil. Ifeelyou lying through the bond, but I don’t understand why. Can you at least tell me the reason you feel the need to keep whatever this is from me?”
“Then close it,” I snapped. “Didn't you tell me that keeping the bond open harms you? Or is this the other bond that allows you and Kieran to speak to me like this?”
Samian whipped his head toward me, his eyes bright. “What do you mean, Kieran can speak to you like this?”
My face paled, and I turned away. I didn’t mean for that to come out, though I had wondered if Kieran and Samian could feel that they were both my mates. But judging from Samian’s reaction, how he hissed those words, they didn’t. “Nothing, I misspoke.”
“Sybil—”
“If you’re not going to help me, then leave, Samian. I need to get my stuff packed and rest before we go to the camp.” I stared at him, my face hard. He looked dejected, and my heart cracked at the sight. I didn’t mean to be harsh, but I couldn’t let him get close. Not when fate dealt me such a shitty hand.
I cleared my throat and turned back to my clothes, grabbing another uniform and a set of clothing to wear at night. I reached for a pair of boots, but the shelf was too tall. Samian stepped behind me, his body pressing into my back. My blood pulsed from the touch, and I closed my eyes.
“I apologize,” he whispered. “I didn’t mean to pry.” Handing me the boots, Samian left my bedroom without another look.
I stood there, unable to move. Guilt and shame coiled around me, sinking their claws deep into my heart. I felt ready to shatter. Forcing myself to move, I finished packing my bag.
Once the moon was high,Samian woke me from my nap, though he remained distant and refused to look at me. Ivara, Daelan, Samian, and I gathered in the small office that was beside my bedroom. I was surprised that they were still there, and even more surprised when they said they would join Samian and me to visit Kieran.
As Samian pulled on a book from the middle shelf of a bookcase, the bookcase clicked open, revealing a small room on the other side. Dust covered the table and chairs in the middle, and cobwebs hung from the ceiling. It looked like this room hadn’t been used in ages.
“The passageway that links our chambers has a similar room in mine. I believe it was designed for hidden meetings or to keep guests hidden in case of emergencies,” Samian murmured while leading us to another door.
This door led us to the dark, cold passageway I recognized. We walked down it and came to a section that split from the main passage when Samian finally looked at me. “If you go down this passageway, you’ll reach the door to my room.”
I peered down the dark hall, catching a faint light from the hidden room, but kept walking, trailing behind the group. Once we were out of the passageway and in the field, Samian transferred us to the spot in the forest where I had officially met Kieran.
Kieran, Orin, Ezra, and Vivi sat along the rocks, deep in conversation, though Ezra looked to the sky. There were dark circles under his eyes from the lack of sleep. Kieran’s gaze immediately found me, and a dark smile twisted along his lips.
Looking away, I fought against a tremor and distanced myself from Samian.
“Trouble in paradise?” Kieran’s deep rasp was like velvet trailing down my skin.
My breath hitched, but I ignored him, focusing on Orin, who let out a loud curse and was currently snarling at Daelan. My eyes widened, and Ivara came up beside me, wrapping her arms around my waist, resting her chin on my shoulder. I gave her a sidelong glance, hoping she wouldn’t notice how my face heated from her closeness.
“The last time Orin saw Daelan,” she said, her voice thick like honey, “Daelan had smeared the berries of a purple pokeweed in his clothes. Orin had a rash for a whole day.” Ivara giggled. Her hands slipped from my waist, and she continued toward the group, giving Vivi a tight hug before moving on to Orin and Kieran.
