“Don’t understand what, tiny fiend?” Cethin asked, sounding slightly exasperated as he rubbed at his temple.
“The dynamic here. With you two. You don’t speak as a king and a warrior. That’s what Wren said you were,” she added, glancing at Razik.
“It is.”
“But you speak as if you are more.”
“More what?”
She went quiet, thinking it over for a moment. Then she shrugged. “Familial maybe? Scorned lovers?”
Razik spat out his juice while Cethin choked on the bite of food he’d taken. She didn’t seem to realize her words were thereason for both. That or she didn’t care. She just continued eating her breakfast, having moved on to the fruit pastries.
“We are not and have never been lovers,” Cethin said tightly after a large gulp of water.
She hummed.
“We aren’t,” he insisted. “We do not get along.”
“You’re eating breakfast together,” she countered.
“Yes, but not by choice. He was already here when we arrived.”
“Because he was waiting for you.”
“Doubtful,” Cethin said dryly.
But Razik had resumed studying her. For as quirky as she was, she was incredibly perceptive. Probably from all the time spent spying from her ashes. Perceptiveness led to cleverness, and if his uncle was right, clever enemies were far more dangerous than ones who could swing a sword.
Kailia could do both, it appeared. Or at the very least, wield a bow with deadly precision.
He didn’t want to think about the fact that by taking on the role of Kailia’s personal guard under the guise of keeping her safe, he was actually providing that service to Cethin. A guardian by proxy was not his intention, but becoming close to Kailia was the only way to figure out what her motives were—good or bad.
The atmosphere in the dining room thickened with tension. Kailia ate her meal as if she didn’t notice. Cethin was aiming subtle glares at Razik, and Razik wasn’t giving two fucks.
“Where is Wren?” Kailia asked suddenly.
Why was everything she said seemingly random? Was it a distraction tactic?
“She is helping with the Fae who are relocating,” Razik answered. “Why?”
“She said she is your Source.”
“She is,” he replied, eyes narrowing slightly at the topic. He didn’t like discussing his Source bond with anyone.
“I assumed she would always be with you,” she said simply. Then added, “But I suppose she was with other males in the city, and you weren’t there.”
“She is free to do as she pleases,” Razik said.
“Is that normal for a Source bond relationship?”
“Why so many questions, Kailia?” Cethin cut in, clearly not liking that her attention was on Razik and not him.
He was going to be furious when he learned who’d been assigned as her personal guard.
Approaching footsteps had them all turning to the sound, and a moment later, Zayan appeared. He halted upon finding the three of them together, his eyes skipping over the males and lingering on Kailia.
“Good morning, your Majesty. Greybane,” he greeted, his demeanor a little stiff. “Kailia, it is wonderful to see you again.”
