He kissed her shoulder softly and looked at her for a moment. “Me neither.”
That alone was a splash of cold water. She couldn’t be doing this with him. He deserved to know the person he was giving his body to for the first time, not some lie dressed as a fraud.
She got up on her elbows, and his brows frowned. He rolled off her, though, sensing her distress.
“Maybe we should wait.” Her voice shook, because, deep down, she wanted him. She wanted to entwine their bodies and souls, but she couldn’t, not even if Esi had given her permission.
Jasyn recovered quickly. He hopped onto his feet and extended his hands toward her. He always had his arms waiting for her. She took them and got to her feet as well. He grabbed the corset, but she shook her head.
“I think I want to dance the night away comfortably. With you,” she added to stress how much she wanted him, that she wasn’t pushing him away.
“You lead, and I will always follow.”
She wished that was true, but not too long from now, he would not be able to follow her in death. Luckily, he would never know the difference between her and Esi. Their connection would be extinguished by the Undertaking, just like her existence.
Twelve
Days passed, and Iskra barely had any alone time with Jasyn. Since his parents returned, Jasyn had been focused on spending time with them and, more importantly, training. Though, every meal, the full royal family ate together, and she was invited. It was always a casual affair, but the King and Queen spoke about their past—how they met, how they ruled, bestowing crumbs of advice on the future couple. Iskra did her best not to look at Jasyn too long, because she feared she would crumble. She would never get to see Jasyn crowned.
King Aleks also told her how he had ended up in the wheelchair. Dahlia had been fighting her way through the Undertaking, her father at her back, protecting her. While she was busy engaging with another competitor who wanted to kill her, King Aleks didn’t notice the dragon at his back. It had swiped its tail so forcefully, the king flew across the cave and hit a rock right on his spine. He had been unable to walk since. Dahlia had witnessed it, and, instead of focusing on the Undertaking, she tried helping him. As she had kneeled in frontof her father, he yelled a warning, but it was too late. A sword plunged through her chest.
King Aleks only came out victorious because another competitor practically handed him the Heart. He had been a strong supporter of the king, and he wanted his reign to continue. It wasn’t a rare occurrence for Sun Court citizens to enter with the goal of ensuring a certain outcome. If the participant survived, King Aleks would honor and reward them to show his gratitude. Yet, even that hadn’t been enough to see Jaymes or Dahlia on the throne.
Iskra took the story in stride, but the truth of the matter was, she felt responsible. It was her kind that had been killing and hurting people. Soon, she would be the one to end a life. That sinking reality stuck with her as she headed to the shop for the night, except instead of the usual quiet streets, she was greeted with the sight of Bron handing Kryth a small satchel.
She stayed back, watching the exchange for a moment. They spoke in hushed tones, but their faces revealed the brimming tension between them.
Iskra stepped forward, her curiosity reaching a peak. “What’s happening?”
Both whipped their attention to her. Bron practically jumped in shock, but Kryth remained nonchalant, already having been tuned to her presence from afar.
Kryth smiled as he tossed the satchel, metal loudly clattering in her ear. There was money in there.
Iskra volleyed her gaze between the two men, unable to put together any situation in which Bron owed Kryth money. Had he bought something from the shop?
Kryth seemed eager to quench her growing list of questions. “He did everything he could to try and save Siena. His biggest mistake was coming to me.”
“You lied to me!” Bron yelled, his voice impassioned. “You said you could save her.”
“I don’t understand.” Iskra shook her head. “You went to Kryth to buy something from him to save your mother?”
“I went to the minister, as I was told he had familiarity with herbal medicines that could heal any ailment. As the minister, I figured he would be the best. Back then, he had a different location, somewhere closer to where I grew up. Now, it all makes sense. He’s a liar and a fraud, in more ways than one.” Bron gestured to the shop in front of them.
Kryth smiled. “And he couldn’t pay up then, so he owes me now. I heard you’ve had to go to reckless measures to get the coin for all the medicines I concocted for you.”
Iskra’s face blanched. “What did you do?”
Bron’s face was downcast. “I’ve been gambling to make up the money, but I’m still in so much debt for the years of trying to keep her alive.” Bron pointed to Kryth. “You don’t deserve one coin of it.”
It all made sense then,whyBron seemed annoyed by the betrothal between Esi and Jasyn. It wasn’t that he held affection for the lady. He must have wanted to marry her for the money. Iskra couldn’t dive deeper into the situation, though, because Kryth's next words hit Iskra and Bron like a ball of fire.
“Why would I have wanted to save my sister after she spent my whole life discouraging me from taking the title of minister?”
Jasyn sprung from his bed early. Ever since the party, he’d felt like he was flying. He and Esi were a love-match. She craved him as much as he craved her. Even when she stopped them from taking that next step, he still felt their connection. It showed shetrusted him enough to voice her truth. It was like a fire lit within him when he decided he would go to town this morning. Alone.
Well…almost alone.
Mych trailed Jasyn as they neared the town square. It was an unusually cloudy day, but Jasyn enjoyed the break from the scorching heat.
