His eyes were wide, and he clutched his hands in front of him, probably to stop them from trembling.
“What the fuck have you done?” I was being an asshole, but this was the last thing we needed. The last thingIneeded. “Undo whatever you have done and choose someone else.”
“I c-can only bind myself to a m-m-man.” I gave him a look that told him to continue. He quickly glanced down at Sammy and then back at me before he looked at the floor. “Sh-she is n-n-not a man and I-I-I…” He couldn’t get the rest of his words out.
I shut my eyes for a moment and took a steadying breath. “So, you bound yourself to me so you could serve her?”
I opened my eyes to see him nodding. I was about to ask why when Sammy got up and came to stand beside us. Kage visibly tensed, and Sammy looked like she desperately wanted to put her hand on his shoulder to comfort him.
That was the last thing the poor guy needed. He’d probably spontaneously combust.
“Why?” She met my eyes before turning her focus on Kage.
He was practically vibrating from the proximity to us. I oddly wanted to pull him into a hug and comfort him. What the fuck? There had to be some kind of magic wanting me to dothat.
Kage huffed out a breath and gripped the back of the chair next to him, his knuckles turning white. “She is light.”
I wished he would have stuttered, but he had spoken those words with a firmness and confidence that seemed to reverberate through the dining room. His voice had lost that nervous quaver, replaced with something solid and unwavering that made me uneasy.
I tried to keep my voice nonchalant, even though I felt anything but. “We should finish eating and get to the council chambers before the other members arrive.”
“Good idea.” Sammy moved toward her seat and stole a piece of meat from Amari’s plate.
“Watch yourself,” Amari grumbled, but then put another piece on her plate.
Val’s gaze stayed locked on Kage. “What?—”
“Kage, why don’t you go clean the rooms we’re staying in. I’ll come find you later.”
Kage disappeared, and I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep the relief from flooding my face.
If Val were to find out about Sammy, I’d never forgive myself. I’d do whatever it took to keep him from finding out.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
VAL
Itightened the laces of my boots with unnecessary force, the leather creaking in protest. The breakfast with Samara and the squirrel had left a sour taste in my mouth that had nothing to do with the blood I’d consumed.
House mages. After centuries of their kind being hunted to near extinction, one was in the castle, binding himself to Nicolas of all people.
My fingers worked the leather into a knot as I replayed the house mage’s words in my head.
She is light.
The phrase echoed through my mind, setting off alarms I couldn’t quite silence. House mages saw things others couldn’t. They moved through walls, listened from shadows, and held secrets that could destroy empires.
I glanced at Amari, who stood by the window, his silence speaking volumes as he stared out at the grounds below.
“We should arrive early.” I stood, rolling my shoulders to adjust the fit of my jacket.
Amari nodded and pulled a clean shirt from thewardrobe. The muscles in his back rippled as he changed, and I was reminded of the way they’d moved as he fucked Samara. I couldn’t stop the heat that spread through me at the memory or how badly I had wanted to be the one sinking inside her.
“You’re thinking about her again.” Amari didn’t look at me as he adjusted his shirt, his voice matter-of-fact. “I can smell your arousal.”
I moved to the mirror, ensuring my hair was in place. “She’s complicating things.”
That was an understatement. Samara had shattered my carefully constructed world the moment she reappeared. I’d spent a lot of time building walls around the memory of her, only for them to crumble at the first sight of her face.
