Moments later, Cade picked off one of the only blooming camellias from a shrub and handed it to Hai.Thatwas the girl’s name, if she remembered correctly.What are you even doing? Didn’t you basically already pledge yourself to Marin?
Behind his back, Cade held up his middle finger. Hai was too busy stuffing the flower in her hair to notice.
Really nice,Cassia snapped.
I never claimed to be.
Cassia pulled on their connection, trying to find some way into Cade’s mind to get a glimpse of what he was really thinking and planning. Because there was no way he was out for a stroll with Hai just for the hell of it. The harder she pulled and searched, though, the more distant his presence became. Cassia growled and sent him a wave of frustration.Poor Bridget, all alone in the human realm while you let other girls try their best seduction skills on you.
With a whipping tug, Cade severed their connection. Cassia flinched, just as the window between them cracked. Just a sliver. Just enough that satisfaction roared through her knowing that at leastthathad gotten a real reaction from him. When she looked back out the window, Cade was already leading Hai away with a new stiffness in his shoulders.
Maybe if her brother would just be honest with her, she wouldn’t have to hit him upside the head with things he didn’t want to hear. Roughly spinning on her heel, Cassia made up her mind to go find someone thatdidwant her help. Because maybe—
She wasn’t alone.
Cassia recoiled back into the window, thumping her head against the glass. Heart pounding, she stared into Castor’s dark, penetrating eyes. Heat traveled up her neck when she spotted the amused twist of his lips.
“Hi.”
She dug her nails into her thighs and hoped she didn’t look too flustered. Even though it seemed to be her constant state around him.
Castor cocked his head. “Why do you look so surprised?”
“Why did you sneak up on me?” Cassia shot back. Now that he was moving closer, her hands trembled. She knew the only reason he was there was because she’d asked him to help her, but now that they were alone, she hated that she’d even suggested it at all. How could she have possibly thought she would be just fine withbeingfriends?
Cassia took a deep breath and thought of Delphine. It didn’t matter if she was fine with it or not. This was her reality now. She needed to get a grip.
Still, the resolve was hard to maintain when Castor continued to move closer to her. “Why were you so engrossed with the window that you didn’t notice me calling your name?” he asked softly, now inches from her.
Cassia’s breath hitched. Before she could answer, Castor’s gaze moved to the outside garden behind her. Sighing, he crossed his arms. “You’re spying on Cade.”
“I was notspying,” Cassia corrected, the heat returning to her neck. “I was here first. Besides, I wanted to know why he was in the garden with Hai.”
“Her family owns most of the land in Kastron,” Castor said. “I think he’s trying to figure out how to use that to find Quinn.”
Cassia had a feeling Castor didn’t just think that, butknewthat was Cade’s intention. Whatever her brother’s plans were, he was always one of the first to know. Mirroring his stance and crossing her own arms, she blithely replied, “Well I think he’s playing with fire.”
“He can handle himself,” Castor said. For a long moment, he studied her. “Now you on the other hand…”
“Can’t do shit.”
Unfazed by her bluntness, Castor narrowed his eyes. “Need to focus on yourself. Did you not sleep?”
Too absorbed in her own thoughts about her brother’s plans, Cassia didn’t notice Castor raising his hand until he was already tracing the bags under her eyes. Briefly, she let herself enjoy the sensation of his touch before she stepped away. “It doesn’t matter.”
Because itdidn’t. She wasn’t the one with a psycho Witch after them. Or the one with a curse dependent on their life. Or even the one with a secret Tuathan identity they knew nothing about. Wow, her brother had really been ringing up the surprises lately.
A muscle in Castor’s jaw quivered, but he didn’t push her. Fingering the crack on the window, he asked, “Do you know why Cade is asking me about an ancient artifact?”
“Like he tells me anything,” Cassia replied automatically. When Castor shot her a weary look, she sighed. “Which one?”
“The Tuathan ones.”
Cassia’s gaze cut to his. It was the last thing she expected him to say.
“Those haven’t been seen for centuries,” she said. A spike of trepidation shot up her spine. Every story she’d ever heard or read involving the Tuathan artifacts ended badly. Why would Cade suddenly be interested in them?
“There’s one in Tafari,” Castor said, surprising her. “Or at least, that’s the rumor. Obviously, no one has ever found it. But that’s not the one he’s interested in. He was asking about the crown.”
