My heart pounds as I scramble to think of a way out of this. We can’t search the castle at night if there are guards keeping us in.
But before I can think ofanything, Adrian nods his head.
“Lovely idea, Uncle,” he agrees. My eyes widen as he turns to me. “I’ll send for your old chambers to be made up for us. I think you’d feel more comfortable there.” Then he spares a side glance at Graylen. “You can take my old room to conserve theguards covering. The doors are nearly side by side, so two soldiers to both should suffice.”
To be made up forus.
“Would that be wise?” Moros cuts in. Adrian lifts a brow, waiting for him to elaborate. “To put a woman of her…standing in a position like that.”
I bristle. Right—how could I forget about the archaic patriarchy that bleeds from every pore in this kingdom? Howdareanyone—even the king—suggesttaintinga reputation such as the daughter of the Royal Merchant?
“Then it’s a good thing the castle is so empty today,” Adrian says with a wave of his hand. “We’ll be discreet.”
Moros’s gaze narrows, but Adrian forges ahead, his eyes briefly flitting to me. “I’ve since moved into the king’s chambers, but I can’t imagine sending you to your own rooms after everything that’s happened,” he adds, voice delicate and light for his uncle’s benefit. “Having a guard outside of our room should help you relax enough to get some sleep, right?”
Ourroom. The full weight of his words settles against my chest. He’ll have my old chambers set up forus. For meandhim.
He nods to one of the guards by the door, signaling for them to pass the message along, without waiting for a response from me.
What is Adriandoing?
We all agreed to sell the story of me coming back for him, but I didn’t agree tothis. I try to catch his eye, to force him to meet my gaze, but he avoids looking at me.
Suddenly, the collar around my throat feels suffocatingly tight. I knew having it on meant staying close to him, butanticipatingsomething and actually experiencing it are two very different things.
“We’ve had a long journey,” Adrian says briskly. “If we’ve satisfied your questions, we’ll take our leave.”
My skin prickles at Adrian askingMorosif he’s ready for thisconversation to be done. Adrian is the king, but his entire demeanor has shifted. He went from furious at Moros to asking his permission.
A weight sinks in my stomach. Is he suggesting this so he can watch over me? I can’t sneak out at night to search for the dagger without him questioning me, and I’m not ready to trust him with that knowledge yet.
He’s still playing along, but to what end? To learn more about why we’re really here, so he can run off to his uncle and spill everything?
If we’ve lost Adrian, then any luck we’ve had up until now just ran out.
Fifty-Six
Heliotrope
My chest burnsas Adrian and Lunaria walk in front of me, his hand hovering over her lower back. Even being aware that this was the plan, it doesn’t ease the sting prickling across every inch of my flesh.
Soren—thank the gods—stays close to Lunaria’s side, his ears ticking to the sides at every small sound. The moment I saw Soren, I could feel the energy, ancient and magnificent, coursing through him.
His massive head peers back at me, a whoosh of calm sweeping through me as he lets me know all is well.
The way they communicate is different, more of a feeling than words. Though that could be because Soren isn’tmyfamiliar—I wonder if it’ll be different for Lu. He’s taken to her in the way the dreadwolves did their fae in the stories passed down by the generations.
Soren nudges Lunaria’s hand with his snout. Her shoulders loosen instantly and she gives him a quick scratch on the head.
But the rest of her body language is…off, to say the least. So is her supposedbeloved’s. Lu’s back is stiff, and Adrian has yet toactuallytouch her. While the thought should bring me comfort, it instead adds to my unease.
Rather than a couple reunited, they look…awkward.
I scrub my hand down my face as we walk to our chambers. This is never going to work. WhenIwasin a fake relationship with her, it was an easy ruse to slide into. As easy as breathing.
Maybe not for her—not at first. But for me?
Fuck, it was the best idea I’d ever had.
