“I know,” she murmured, pulling away. “I truly just want what’s best for everyone, and I’m sorry if I offended you earlier.” I dropped my gaze, not wanting to re-broach that subject, especially with Ryker sitting within probable ear shot. “Anyhow, you and Cassie should head off to the baths.” She stepped away, motioning for my sister, who peeled herself from Alex, to come join me. “And, Alex, don’t you have training at the Academy today?”
“Yes, Mother.” He sighed, but a moment later pushed himself off the bench. Giving Cassie one more quick peck and me a brief wave, he disappeared back into our rooms.
“Now, while you two go wash up, I think I'll have a word with your intended,” Ari huffed.
What did she want with him?I grimaced, watching her go.
“What was that all about?” Cassie asked, sidling in close as we headed for the door.
“No clue.”
My eyes followed the woman who had raised us as she crossed the manicured garden. She halted at Ryker’s side, and I was surprised by the agitation I found on his face as he rose to his feet.
I was too far away to catch what she said, but Ari’s usual calm demeanor and graceful cadence were gone, her face pinched as she gestured animatedly with her hands. Ryker’s eyes darted toward me, but Ari reached out and grabbed his jaw, forcing him to look at her.
“What do you think she’s talking to him about?” Cassie murmured, her eyes wide.
“Probably just telling him to jump me the first chance he gets,” I grimaced, still unhappy with the way she’d treated me earlier.
Cassie laughed, but I failed to find the humor in what I’d just said.
Not that I really thought Ryker would try anything. Touching me seemed to be one of the few things that terrified him. But if it came down to that, I’d learned the hard way I could use the knife, even if I didn’t want to.
“Just don’t kill him unless you have to, okay?” Cassie poked me in the ribs, and I rolled my eyes.
“I may have taken out that assassin in self defense, but I’m not going to murder an innocent person—though something tells me he’s not so innocent.”
Ryker jerked away from Ari, his face twisted in fury. He stalked across the garden, and with one last glance in my direction, brushed past us into the room.
“And something tells me you’d rather kiss him than kill him,” Cassie whispered, nudging me playfully. Heat seared across my face, and I glared at her with a smirk. Her hands flew into a placating gesture. “I’m just stating the facts. I see the way you look at him.”
“Maybe so, but have you also seen the way he looks at me? He’s got about as much expression as a golem.”
“He’s probably just shy.”
My thoughts slipped back to our training sessions and the first time he’d tried to goad me into fighting him, then flicked to the moment he’d tried to kiss me. The flames in my face only continued to spread, and I looked down at my feet. “I don’t think shyness is his problem,” I mumbled. There was definitely something holding him back, and that wasn’t it.
Ari swept toward us, gesturing for us to get going.
“Come, girls, we haven't got all day,” she said, not stopping as she rushed past us.
Wellthatwasfun,not!I groaned, falling back into the grass under the old oak tree. The light of the setting sun filtered through the leaves overhead, leaving colorful patterns on my pale skin. My eyelids heavy, I let them close.
The day had passed in a blur of meetings, planning, dress fittings and food tasting. I hadn’t enjoyed a minute of it. Everywhere I looked, I was only reminded of Tarra and how I would never see her again, how she would never experience any of the celebration for herself. I’d even done a double take at one of the empress' new ladies-in-waiting, but of course it wasn’t her, just one of our other sisters who resembled her.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I’ll be joining you soon.”
My thoughts faded, swirling into swathes of blood mixed with Tarra’s screams and the assassin’s laughs. Hands with sharp nails bit into my arms, dragging me down into an everlasting darkness—
The sound of soft footsteps brushing through the grass broke me from my nightmare, but I didn't open my eyes. I didn’t want to unlock the floodgate of tears pressing against my eyelids. Keeping my breath slow and steady, I waited. The steps were too heavy to be Cassie’s, and Alex was still with her, so the only logical explanation was Ryker, as a servant would never approach me unannounced.
My stomach churned as feathers brushed my insides, but I pushed them down, unable to forget his earlier heated exchange with Ari or my mother’s adamant demands. Was that why he was here? He’d been conveniently absent all day, and watching Cassie and Alex make choices and finalize decisions about their bonding together for the better part of the day, I’d realized something. My relationship with Ryker truly was fake.
The grass rustled beside me, and I finally opened my eyes. Ryker was seated next to me, leaning back against the oak tree with his eyes closed. He looked calm, peaceful, almost. My eyes lowered as the dying light flickered off the barely noticeable scars on his neck. Heart rate increasing, I rechecked the position of Judex and Rocky on either side of the door, then leaned forward, my curiosity getting the better of me. I brushed the tips of my fingers over the imperfections along his skin. His eyes flew open as he stiffened and snatched my hand.
I didn’t pull away, but met his surprised gaze as calmly as I could while my heart tried to beat its way out of my chest. “Did someone hurt you?”
His beautiful gold eyes bore into mine. Anger, fear, confusion, and a host of other emotions I couldn’t read filled them. Exhaling, he released my hand and looked away, his shoulders slumping.