“Thank the Fates, yes.” His eyes narrowed. “What is it?”
“Nothing. I’m fine.”
“Liar.” He pulled out the chair in the corner and sat, boots kicking up dust.
“I miss him,” I said quietly.
Slade’s smirk softened into something gentler. “He misses you too.”
“He probably doesn’t even know if I’m alive.”
“He knows,” Slade said firmly. “He always knows.”
I swallowed. “I lost control in that valley, Slade. If he’d reached me—if he’d gotten closer?—”
“You didn’t hurt him,” he said simply. “And you didn’t lose yourself.”
I shook my head. “He jumped straight into that fire for me. I saw it. Before the naiad pulled him into the river.”
“He’d jump into a vat of acid for you,” Slade said. “Doesn’t mean you did anything wrong.”
A faint, reluctant breath escaped me. “He shouldn’thave to?—”
“He’s your equal,” Slade cut in. “Not your shield. Stop treating him like one.”
I stared at the floor.
He bumped my knee with his. “Also, I’m betting coin he’s halfway here already.”
“You’re probably right,” I admitted.
“Come downstairs when you’ve cleaned up,” he said. “We need to plan.”
We spread maps across the battered dining table. My full stomach grumbled in appreciation at the soup Thorne had managed to pull together from gods-knew-what he’d found in the pantry.
“This is delicious,” I said.
“It’s not as good as your usual,” Slade put in.
“Your usual?” I echoed. “Is making soup yet another hidden hobby of yours?” I joked.
Slade snorted. “I’d say this soup is ranked far below his usual.”
“I blame the ingredients at hand,” Thorne said with a shrug. He turned to me. “I’m not hiding anything. I cook, so what? You didn’t complain back at Frithhold.”
“You cooked the meals at Frithhold?” Why hadn’t I noticed? Oh yeah, I was too busy hating all of them for kidnapping me. “Including the bread?”
He smirked—just like he had the night he’d found me trying to read one of the books in his collection. I made a mental note to bring him on every mission forever if it meant eating this good. But after the comfort of the meal, it was time to focus on what came next.
Slade had slipped out earlier to gather news from the markets. The ceremony was at sunset two days from now. Itwould be private, mostly guards and a few nobles, followed immediately by Heliconia’s ceremonial crowning. When Heliconia would be declared a queen of Autumn—and take her place on her new throne.
And once she sat upon it…
“We need to stop the ceremony before she gets anywhere near the throne,” Thorne said, tapping the map of the castle’s layout where the gardens were located. “Preferably before she gets near Callan.”
“Without killing him,” I said.
Slade sighed dramatically. “You’re no fun.”
