Chapter
Three
Luka pacedthe length of Prince Shane’s office, waiting for Izabel. The room was rich and opulent, with silk rugs, gleaming stained wood desks, beaten silver panels on the walls, and leather sofas arranged around a crackling fire. In the past, he’d enjoyed sitting here, talking to Shane while they sipped glasses of smooth, cask-aged, sorghum whiskey. But not tonight.
He hated everything about this idea.
He and Dashiell had brought Narya’s body in through the main gates in a crate of weapons they’d taken from the city guard watchtower. They left the weapons in the barracks and slipped into Shane’s office using the back corridors and avoiding the guard rotations. By the time he could send a messenger to bring the prince, Aiden, Kai, and Cori—the people Luka still considered his closest friends—for an urgent meeting, his tunic was damp with sweat, his scales rose like hackles across the back of his neck, and his beast was growling almost constantly. And then it got worse.
Shane listened to his report, took one horrified look at Narya’s body, and immediately sent Aiden to fetch Izzy. Not just fetch. Smuggle her in like a dirty secret. Against Luka’s strenuous objections.
Luka disagreed, argued, and, in the end, almost begged. He even tried to convince Aiden, Kai, and Cori to support him, but Shane overruled him. The prince folded his ruby-scaled arms over his chest and decreed that Izzy was going to help. The end.
We could challenge him to battle. Do it properly.
Luka grunted at his beast. Teeth and claws were not the solution here.
I don’t need violence. I need to protect Izzy. It rolled its eyes.Unlike you.
Luka walked to the window and stared out at the darkness. He wrapped his hands around the tight muscles in the back of his neck and muttered under his breath, “I’m not challenging the prince.”
You won’t listen to anything,his beast growled back.I could easily solve our problems.
Luka spun on his heel, ignoring it as he paced. His gaze fell on Sergeant Dashiell. The soldier stood a little apart from everyone else, beside a bookcase filled with ancient philosophical tomes. His gaze wandered over the spines with an unreadable expression. Perhaps discomfort. Perhaps worry. Either way, it was time the sergeant left. He needed to go well before Izzy arrived.
“Sergeant Dashiell,” Luka said, walking across to offer a polite bow. “Thank you for your help tonight. As always—in keeping with your guardian vow—I ask you to keep everything you’ve seen and heard to yourself.”
“Of course,” Dashiell answered firmly, looking him in the eye.
Luka watched him carefully. No scales flickered, he didn’t fidget or touch his face. He looked like a man who’d had a challenging night and risen to it. “Thank you. You may have averted a real catastrophe,” Luka said sincerely. “It’s best if you return to your duties now. I’ll write a note to CommanderLydia of the city guard. Please ask her to come to me if she has questions about where you were tonight.”
“I will, thank you.” Dashiell turned to face Shane and dropped a respectful bow. “Your Highness, since I’m here—” He settled into parade rest, hands clasped behind his back. “—I would like to apply to join your investigation. I would like to help if I can.”
Shane nodded slowly. “What are you thinking?”
“I would be very grateful for the opportunity to work with the castle guards. Perhaps I could help with this… situation.” He shifted his weight ever so slightly, similar to how he’d moved earlier. “Later, when this is all resolved, perhaps you might consider me for a permanent role within the castle guards.”
Shane lifted an eyebrow toward Luka. “Knight Captain?”
Luka had to admire the stones on this soldier. Dashiell had braved the darkness of the Nabaspath, and now he’d seen a chance and taken it. It was—still—very difficult to break out of the city ranks and into the castle guard. Especially for a poor boy from Naos. Gods knew, if Luka hadn’t shifted, he would still be there himself.
Luka mentally nudged his beast, hoping it had insight to add.
I don’t know,his beast muttered. I can’t get a good read on him.
Neither could Luka. But was it surprising? People said that about him, too. If you grew up poor and alone in Naos, you soon learned to keep your thoughts—and any hint of vulnerability—to yourself. And Dashiell had saved them from a potential disaster. He’d come to find Luka instead of simply walking away and pretending he’d never seen a thing. How many people would have done the same?
Luka nodded slowly. It was unconventional, but he could give Dashiell a chance. “Okay, I’ll arrange with Commander Lydia to transfer you here until we’ve resolved this crisis. Wecould benefit from the help, and you can use the time to prove yourself.”
Dashiell rocked back on his heels and flashed a brief grin before dropping into a perfect court bow. “Thank you, sir. I’ll do my best.”
Luka grabbed some paper from a nearby desk and scrawled a note to Commander Lydia confirming the secondment. He handed it to Dashiell, who tucked it safely in his inside pocket. “Go home, Sergeant, and get some rest. I’ll expect you back here for training at dawn.”
Dashiell bowed again, paid his respects to Shane, and then let himself out. The door closed behind him with a quiet click, leaving them in heavy silence. Quiet enough that Luka could hear Dashiell murmuring a greeting as he passed someone in the passage. Fuck. He’d hoped to keep Izzy’s arrival from everyone outside their small inner circle. But it was too late to worry about it. Too late to even think of anything over the joyous purr of his beast as it spun in his belly.
She’s coming.Finally. It’s been over a year!
Luka growled under his breath. There was nothing joyous about this. It was an unmitigated disaster, and if he could have stopped it, he absolutely would have.
