She laughed. “You too! Enjoy your time with Elias.”
“I will.”
As long as Elias had finished with Colette. That morning, Elias had said he’d plan to spend the day educating Colette. But surely he would be done by now. How much was there for Elias to teach her about the ways of court?
Although, honestly, Gerard wasn’t too sure exactly what that entailed.
He strode down the corridor. He passed servants and warrior doves on duty.
“Just fuck off and leave me be!” a female voice yelled, echoing down the corridor.
Chapter
Forty-Seven
Gerard broke into a run. Warrior doves ahead of him did the same.
“You’re a traitor and deserve to be executed!” a deep voice shouted.
Three nobles stood together in the middle of the corridor. Straight away, he recognised Warden Jade Obsidian of the Grey Mountains.
Her cheeks burned bright red. Her hands clenched into fists by her sides. She bared her teeth. “You don’t know a fucking thing!”
“I know you were in on it with your father. I know you were plotting with him,” Lord Cedar from Botanial yelled at Warden Jade. Gerard had met the older man only briefly. He’d been very composed then. Now his face burned so red it looked like he might explode.
“I saw how often you worked together. You were always doing his bidding!” Lord Cedar sneered. “You wanted to rule one day! Just admit it!”
“That’s why you and your father wanted to murder thegrand warden and Warden Onyx!” the other noble, Lord Cedar’s older son, yelled.
“You are fools! You are all fucking fools!” Warden Jade’s shaky voice echoed down the corridors. And for a second, Gerard thought she might cry. She took a step towards them.
But the warrior doves stepped in between the nobles.
“That’s enough!” a warrior monk shouted.
The two lords turned, led away by the warrior monks.
Another warrior monk stood by Warden Jade. But she stayed where she stood, hands still balled into fists, body shaking.
Gerard approached her. “Warden Jade.”
She rounded on him.
Gerard lifted his hands in a conciliatory motion. “I am not going to accuse you of anything. But come. Best to return to your quarters. I’ll escort you.”
For several seconds she glared up at him. Then she gave a sharp nod. The warrior dove watched them depart.
They walked in the direction of the Grey Mountain quarters. He was glad she did not object to him escorting her. After all, she did not need him to come with her.
But this gave him an opportunity to study her. He’d never really spoken to her properly before. And she was someone he was having closely watched.
“Are you all right?” Gerard asked.
“I am fine.”
Honestly, Gerard didn’t think she’d plotted with Warden Flint. But she had been the closest person to him. It would be negligent of Gerard to not keep an eye on her until he was completely certain she’d not been plotting with her father.
Her hands clenched and unclenched as she walked. Her jaw ticked. The red flush stained her cheeks and throat.
