“No?”
“That won’t…. They wouldn’t….” Luka glared at her. “Just no!”
Izzy was tired. It had been a long, horrible night so far, and she didn’t have the time or the energy for games… or whatever this was. She spun away from Luka and caught Aiden’s eye. “Are you coming?”
Aiden flashed Luka a sharp grin, then turned a softer smile toward her. “Of course.” But then he sobered. “Not with you, though. I’ve already brought you this way once tonight, and I’d prefer not to create a pattern. I’ll hang back and come in a bit later.”
Wise man. I also wouldn’t get between us and Luka. There’s actual steam rising between you.
Fine. Izzy grunted. She would just go in alone.
Not alone, trust me.
Izzy held back a response. She had a great relationship with her beast, but she had to wonder if it wanted Luka badly enough that it sometimes—or often—misread the situation. She ignored them both as she turned on her heel and strode past the last of the shuttered storefronts toward the castle.
Three… two… one….
Her beast chuckled when Luka caught up to her as she turned into the avenue through the gardens. His face was set in grim lines, but he didn’t argue or try to hold her back. The guards could see them now.
She ignored his unhappy rumbling and strode up the marble stairs. She left her cloak open and the hood down, loose around her shoulders. Hopefully, the soldiers at the gate would recognize her and no one would associate her with the secretive cloaked woman from earlier.
The first castle guard raised his hands in a polite salute; fingers touching above, thumbs meeting below, to form the Infinite Circle in front of his heart. “Commander Luka, and—” He blinked. “—Mistress Izabel. Good evening.”
Izzy gave them a polite bow as Luka saluted them in return. “Mirkon. Branthos.”
“We’re very glad to see you, sir,” the guard said gravely. He seemed on high alert, with peridot-colored scales flickering over his jaw.
“And you, Mirkon,” Luka replied easily. “Is all well?”
“Sir, I—” Mirkon swallowed. “I’ll be honest, it’s a relief to see you here.” He lowered his voice. “The queen sent for you, but you weren’t in your room.”
Izzy shivered. Why had the queen sent for Luka? Had the others not been able to brief her on what happened?
“Can you tell us what happened?” Luka asked.
Mirkon clenched his jaw as his eyes flicked to her and back. A haze of scales glittered over his neck and face, as if he was debating whether to reply in front of her.
“You may speak freely,” Luka said. “Mistress Izabel is a friend of the royal family and well known to all of us for many years.”
Mirkon answered slowly. “Lady Narya, the most senior Kwanam lady-in-waiting, was found dead. There’s a rumor that an assassin got into the Kwanam suite and killed her. It’s being said that to manage it, the killer would have to be able to fly.” He coughed, then lowered his voice further. “The archthane is with Queen Danikha as we speak. There wasn’t time to meet formally, so they’re in her private rooms!”
Gods. If drakes were all suspect, it would point directly to the people she loved most—Cori, Aiden, Kai, Shane… and Luka. All five were able to give themselves fully to the beast. They were all in the castle last night, and all of them had the opportunity.But there was only one person she could save right now. The one most likely to fall on his sword if he thought it would help.
Izzy didn’t hesitate. “Well, it couldn’t have been Luka. He was with me tonight.” Her cheeks heated. Enough that the flush had to be visible, even in lamplight. She hadn’t intended her comment to sound so sexual, but judging by the sudden interest in the guards’ faces, it definitely had.
Good idea. Claim him now,her beast whispered.
But Luka held himself utterly still, and for a long, horrible moment, she thought he might deny it. Denyher.
Their last miserable conversation three years before flashed through her brain. He’d stood in front of her, one hand resting on his sword, his eyes locked on hers as he’d said the words she could never forget.“We can’t ever be together, don’t you understand?”
She’d argued. Of course she had. And eventually he’d lost his patience.“Even if we could be together, I don’t want that,”he’d barked, his voice half growl, scales glittering all the way up his face. He’d shoved his free hand in his pocket, his lip twisted up on one side as he continued.“I like the castle women… and they like me. That is where I plan to spend my energy.”
Was he thinking about that now? Was he irritated that pretending to be with her would limit him from being with anyone else? Was he about to step away? Would he point out that she was nothing to him?
Her beast rolled over.Why would he say any of that to the guards?
Maybe it didn’t make a lot of sense, but he’d said something cutting every single time she’d seen him for years, so it was certainly possible. It was bad enough for Luka to push her away in the gray, misery-filled weeks after Rayan’s death when she knew he was struggling as much as she was. To hear it againnow, in front of his men, when his life could be in danger, would be worse.
