I rose and took her hand, and we left the private garden, strolling along the path leading back to the ballroom.
When we entered the gleaming room, Kira strode over to join us, her narrowed gaze flicking between me and Isi. A knowing look appeared in her eyes, and her eyebrows shot up.
I stiffened, a subtle tightening of posture that betrayed nothing else, but inside, irritation twisted through me.
“Behave,” I growled.
Kira exhaled fast, her lips twisting. “You don’t even know what I was going to say.” Her thoughts blazed on her face, and I didn’t have the patience to placate her tonight. “I see you’ve found someone to distract you from courtly duties.”
“Not distracted,” I said. “Focused. Entirely.”
Isi looked between us and started to drift backward. “Maybe I’ll get something to drink. Give you two?—”
“No,” I barked, tightening my grip on her hand. “Stay.” I lowered my voice. “Please.”
That one word made anger flare in Kira’s eyes. She knew I never asked. I’d long since learned a king must always demand.
Isi blinked and said nothing, but she remained by my side.
Kira’s lips curved into a subtle challenge. “Do you have time for the kingdom tonight,King Trewyn?”
“Speak or go away, Kira,” I snarled. “I have no interest in playing games.”
“The Skathe have attacked again.”
Everything else vanished. Torchlight, music, laughter, green silk, golden threads in her hair. All of it collapsed into a single, jagged spike of alarm.
A snarl ripped up my throat. “Where?”
“Greenhaven, on the southwestern border. Word is it’s bad.”
I turned to Isi. “I have to go. I’m sorry.”
She nodded, shooting a concerned look between me and Kira.
I gave her a quick kiss and strode across the ballroom, calling out to Kira over my shoulder. “Prepare the dragons.”
46
ISI
The moment Trew had left the ballroom, I raced over to Lexie. “We need to go.” Before she could speak, I latched onto her arm and dragged her across the room, Derren protesting behind us. Until he saw my face. Then he quietly followed. Kerralyn wasn’t far behind.
I didn’t stop until I reached my room, where I hustled my friends inside. After locking the door, I leaned against it and scanned their faces.
“We’ve got trouble,” I said, and I wasn’t referring to what happened between me and Trew in his private garden. That, I wanted to savor. But I didn’t have time for something like that.
His taste still clung to my lips, a reminder that some hungers were more dangerous than any Skathe.
“While I was with Trew,” I said, “Kira came storming over.”
“Let me guess. She tried to steal him away,” Lexie said with a sneer.
“No, well, I’m sure she’d like to.” Though I suspected there was no ploy she could use that would work, and wasn’t that amazing? “She said Skathes were attacking one of the villages.”
Their eyes widened. Kerralyn sank down on my bed, her journal slipping from her hands to thunk on the floor by her feet. The fact that she didn’t pick it up told me how horrified she must feel.
“Where?” Lexie asked.
