I found myself releasing Jace’s arm, even as Blake transformed back into the unfeeling Twin Blade, forged to serve a blood-soaked king.
I clenched my fists, hidden in the depths of my gown, and kept my head high.
The king lounged with his eyes half shut, but they glittered with malice. When he shifted his weight, the white jade tygers that were carved into his throne moved as well, opening their jaws to expose their golden fangs.
Jace walked beside me. His hand slid to the small of my back, his fingers pressing into the fabric of my gown. I straightened my spine, keeping my eyes forward as the whispers swirled around me.
I felt a familiar warmth bloom in the back of my mind. Flame. Her presence was steady, burning brightly, and I knew she was watching the same scene I was, though with much more amusement.
You don’t need any of them. You have me now. If anyone bothers you, I’d be happy to eat them.
I almost stumbled. Our Bond pulsed strong inside me, her power anchoring me as I faced the court, the king, and the others who controlled my fate.
“Your Majesty, may I present Rubi Morningtail, the Bonded rider of our tygress queen.” Jace made a stiff, elaborate bow.
A murmur of astonishment swept through the room as the nobility realized who I was. Some of their voices were curious, others mocking: “An Azure yin, Bonded to the only living female tygress queen?”
It was impossible.
And yet here I stood.
The king’s mouth opened in a cruel sneer.
“A criminal who dared attack the tygress queen is now Bonded to her.” His voice boomed in the open space. “Whatever shall we do with you, Azure?”
14
“Bonded our tygress?”
An older, stocky pewter-haired man stepped forward, dressed in a richly embroidered tunic, his voice outraged. “This cannot hold. The tygress coordinates the entire ambush of tygers. We cannot allow an Azure that kind of power.”
The nobles exchanged quick glances, the air thick with disbelief.
Eyes that had skimmed over me with disdain or desire now fixed on me with growing unease.
Blake shot a pointed glance at Jace.
“Magistrate,” Jace said, stepping forward and bowing twice, varying the depth of his bow by just a few degrees each time before returning to my side, “we found this to be a matter for His Majesty to decide in his boundless wisdom.”
“Lord Axefire”—the king lifted a brow as he turned to Blake—“why was the tygress queen not locked in her stall during theBonding? How could you allow our only living tygress to possibly injure herself?”
“She was, Your Majesty. She escaped. Twice,” Blake said, turning his body on the dais to face the king. “I believe Flame sought the Azure out yesterday, leading to the attack against our tygress. During the Bonding, Flame chewed through her restraints to reach her in the Arena.”
He was…not telling the entire truth. Blake had as good as admitted to me that he allowed Flame to escape because he saw signs of Bonding. He was lying to the king to…what? Help me?
Like he hadn’t told me straight to my face that my people couldn’t be trusted.
“She attacked the tygress. That is punishable by death,” a large man said. Ire, I realized, dressed in noble garb, arms crossed. He stood on the other side of the king with several other official-looking men.
“Lord Frostbane, it appears the Bonding had already begun last night. Injuries sustained between rider and tyger are part of the Bond and not subject to criminal charges,” Blake snapped, his eyes finding Ire’s.
The king’s gaze was steely and only focused on me.
Jace stepped away from my side and closer to the throne. “For the first time in the history of our people, the tygress queen has Bonded. This cannot be undone.”
“Unless the rider dies,” Malissa said. “She is useless and knows nothing of our ways. It would be a mercy to execute her now,” she continued with an elegant shrug.
I inhaled sharply.
