When Niethal speaks again, he’s much closer. Too close. “May I suggest the rear courtyard next time you are having troubled sleep? It’s beautiful at dawn, or so Grace has told me as much.”
It’s a miracle my voice stays neutral.“I’m sure it’s lovely.”
They stroll past my door, and I let out a huge breath. But the reprieve is short-lived when from down the hall, Niethal murmurs, “Yes,she is.”
The door thuds closed behind me, and I lean against it.
Is it possible he didn’t scent her? Or maybe he did but did nothing? No, I couldn’t bethatfortunate.
Dragging a hand down my face, I push off the door and move to the bed. Thom was right. We’re playing a dangerous game with Niethal. He claimed Grace in front of the other kings, so if he knew I’d been with her, he wouldn’t have been so casual. The more I think about it, the more I’m convinced he doesn’t know. Regardless, I need to sleep.
I flop backward on the bed, lying on top of the covers, and fall asleep with the scent of Grace lingering on my skin.
“You are reckless, Isiah. You’re lucky you aren’t in a cell,” Thom scolds as he paces my room.
He’s not wrong. It was foolish to stay the entire night. I had planned to leave before dawn, but sleeping with her in my arms felt toodamngood.
“You’re right. I am lucky. Either Niethal didn’t know, or he doesn’t care.” I fiddle with a glass candlestick on the fireplace mantel, and Thom scoffs.
“You cannot truly believe he wouldn’t care,right? You are foolish, but you aren’t stupid, Isiah.”
His words chafe, and my weight shifts between my feet. “I know, but what’s done is done. I’ll have to wait and see if he does anything.”
Thom stops pacing and stares at me, jaw hanging loose. “Please tell me you aren’t planning to go back to her room tonight.”
I don’t respond, but Mikal does. “Oh, that isexactlywhat he plans to do. Just look at his face.”
Mikal pushes off the wall to pat my cheek teasingly, and I smack his hand away. He laughs as he jumps on the bed, bouncing Liam, who glares at him before saying to me, “Thom’s right. Going back to her room is a mistake. If Niethal scented her, you will get nowhere near them.”
“I’ll think of something.” It’s the only response I can give. Maybe I am the fool Thom thinks because my only thought is of her and how her skin feels against mine.
“You’re going to get yourself tossed in a cell!” Thom snaps from across the room.
Corren leans forward in his chair and clears his throat, throwing cautious glances toward Thom before saying, “If too many eyes are on her room, why not find another place?”
An ember of hope sparks in my chest. I look to Liam, waiting for his thoughts, and he shrugs. “If we can sneak her out, it could work, though she’d need to be back before dawn.”
“I’m surrounded by fools!” Thom groans, throwing his hands up as he sits heavily in the chair opposite Corren. “If you’re determined to go on with this madness, at least let us be eyes to keep track of the guards.”
I beam at the four of them, at my brothers. “Have I told youall howmuchI appreciate you?”
Thom snorts. “The things we do for family, even if they are idiots. I hope she is worth the risk.”
“She is worth everything,”
Mikal claps his hands and rubs them back and forth, a huge grin on his face. “When do we get to meet the woman making Isiah completely irrational and irresponsible? I like her already!” Corren and Liam laugh while Thom rolls his eyes, though the corner of his mouth twitches.
I smile back at them all. “Possibly tonight, if we’re able to get her out.”
“Wonderful,” Thom says as he slumps in his seat. “Hopefully Niethal has a cell large enough for us all.”
“Oh, it will befine,” Corren says with a wink. “Maybe if we get the chance, we can talk about ways to get Grace out of the castle before Isiah whisks her away for fun.”
“Yes, speaking of plans, I need ideas on how to do just that,” I say, hoping one of them has ideas. “Grace and I talked, and she wants to leave, but until then, she will continue training with Niethal’s guards in hopes they show her the ritual soon. I don’t know how long Niethal’s invitation to the kings will last, but it’ll be more difficult to get her out once we leave.”
“Then we get her out before we leave,” Mikal says, sitting up on the foot of the bed.
“That might be too obvious if she’s gone and so are we,” Liam says. “Perhaps leaving and coming back for her would be smarter.”