“One last time?”
“Yes. I am leaving court and returning to my mother’s ancestral home.”
“Oh, that’s… nice.” It sounded like a question; my confusion as to why she was sharing this information with me was clear in my tone.
Her lips curled into a sly grin, and a sparkle entered her eyes. “There is a boy there, well, I suppose he’s a man now.”
“Ah, I see.” It was strange to be having this conversation with her, given our history.
“I was never interested in Ryker, Cadence. Truth be told, he terrifies me.”
A shiver racked her frame, and I couldn’t suppress my smirk. Ryker had that effect on people.
“I don’t mean to sound rude,” she said, biting her lip, “but what is it you see in him?”
Her question made me pause. How could one explain the magnetic, yet dangerous pull of a man like Ryker?
He was ruthless to his core, quick to judge, and unflinching in his brutality. But beneath that, he was fiercely loyal. When he cared for someone, he did so with every fiber of his being. He would fight for those he loved, even at the cost of his own ruin — a truth few would ever understand.
I didn’t say that, though.
Instead, I said, “There are many layers to Ryker Ashborne. The ones that matter most are guarded behind walls very few can conquer.”
She studied me, her head tilted, but I couldn’t tell what she saw.
“I hope you know what it is you’re fighting for, Cadence,” she said, breaking the silence.
My hand darted to my belly, and a small flutter erupted inside me. “I do.”
“Good, because the palace is under attack.”
“What?” I said, shaking the bars of my cage. “Maybe start with that next time.”
My gaze swept the dungeon, but it was devoid of life.
“Can you get the keys to my cell? I need to find my brother, and Ryker, and Riordan, and…” I cut myself off, forcing my lungs to expand as I inhaled a deep breath.
“I’ll do you one better.” She grinned, her fingers dipping into the small pouch at her hip. A moment later, she drew out a ring of rusted keys. They rattled in her hand until she found the right one and pressed it into the lock. The mechanism made a low groan before clicking open, and Celeste swung the door wide.
I all but hurled myself at her, clutching her shoulders in a desperate, crushing hug. “Thank you.”
Celeste stiffened before she relaxed, returning the embrace. “Now we’re even,” she chuckled. When she reached for my wrists, she tested several keys before finding the right one. Themetal slid to the ground, the loudclangechoing like a clap of thunder in the small space.
Stepping back, I surveyed her, taking in the velvet slippers adorning her feet. “Find some boots,” I instructed before running my gaze over her gown. “And some pants. Leave now before the fighting intensifies, and you can’t get out.”
She swallowed thickly but nodded her agreement. “Stay safe, Your Majesty.”
A swell of emotion caught in my throat, and I barely managed a curt nod. Celeste whirled around, racing up the stairs as I watched her go.
My heart pounded against my ribs as I let my magic surge through me, the iron no longer suffocating its flow. When my pulse steadied and my breathing evened, I drew my power close, ready to unleash.
I had a war to win.
Chapter Sixty-Five
Ryker
I shot upright, heart hammering as adrenaline flooded my veins. Sweat clung to my skin, and my limbs felt leaden. But none of it compared to the deep, gnawing dread that consumed me.
