Siegrid gives me a heavy look—as one of the few people here who knows about Saela’s condition, she knows my sister cannot stay here without me.
“It’s fine,” the Sovereign Alpha says. A calculating shadow passes over her eyes, and she tilts her head as if listening to someone—likely counsel from Genicos. “Take Venna and Noemi with you as well. Venna is loyal and gifted;she will be useful. Noemi is, shall we say, more diplomatic than you are. She may be helpful in the Astreonan court.”
Another surprise from Siegrid, but I’m not about to argue.
I couldn’t leave Venna behind, not with Izabel’s death still so fresh. And while I still don’t know Noemi well, I can’t deny that she’s tactful and smooth, qualities that might help.
Although—is that why Stark is suddenly withdrawing from me? Because ofher?
I reach out urgently to Anassa and ask, “What’s the deal with Stark and Noemi? Stark said she was like a sister to him, but now he’s gone all silent on me. Cratos must’ve told you something, right?”
I sense Anassa’s distaste before I hear it in her voice.“He has told me, yes.”
“Anassa,” I beg.“We promised to be honest with each other.”
Anassa huffs.“Iambeing honest with you, but there is a difference between honesty and gossip. Direwolves do not gossip. It is an idle, lazy human trait. If you are curious about their relationship, you are welcome to act like the queen you are and simply ask them.”
Fucking wolves. Shaking myself out of mypetty jealousy, as Anassa would call it, I refocus on the conversation at hand.
“I suppose you’ll manage in my stead?” I ask Siegrid, my tone edgier than I mean it to be.
She nods. “With constant communication to you, my queen. I will not make any decisions without your direct instructions.”
That’s a relief, although part of me knows she’d gladly take the power for herself.
With everything decided, the Alphas all bow and head out. For a brief moment, Stark and I are left alone in the tent.
His dark gaze is heavy on me.
I’m trapped by it, unable to speak, unable to look away. My heartbeat accelerates, and I forget what I’m supposed to be doing, where I’m supposed to be going. Fuck, is this how it’s going to be every time he looks at me now?
And then he turns abruptly and walks away.
What is hisdeal?
Irritation sparks, coupled with an ache in my chest. Was it foolish, opening myself up to him like that? Leaning into the connection between us, embracing it? It felt like the right choice at the time, but now I’ve been left reeling.
I’m too exhausted to chase after him, though.
I return to the sleeping quarters, where Saela is already asleep. My stomach twists as I sit beside her. It’s unfair that I’m about to change her life yet again. She’s just as caught up in this mess as I am, only she has no one but me to help her through it.
I just hope I’m not fucking up.
Taking a deep breath, I gently rouse her. She looks up at me, bleary-eyed, and mumbles my name.
“I have some news,” I say.
The frantic movement riddled through the camp the next morning matches my insides. There’s a resting sense of wrongness.
It was my decision to go, but the reality of our impending journey toAstreona, a land that has for centuries been enemy territory, is difficult to confront.
I don’t let my second-guessing show on my face, though. Too many eyes are on me. News has clearly spread through camp.
“All right, Sae,” I tell my sister, and lace my fingers together. She knows the routine now and braces her foot in my hands. At the same time, she clings to Anassa’s fur and lets me launch her up onto my direwolf’s back.
Then I pat Anassa’s side and stare up at my sister. Her shoulders are hunched, and her hands are worrying at Anassa’s fur. Since I told her about our father being alive and the inevitability of meeting him, she hasn’t spoken much.
Or at all, really.
