“Three,” I reply. “You’d hear any alarms raised, and you’ll fit better through a bigger opening.”She scowls at me. “If I—”“Well, that’s not the situation we’re in.” I glance at her over my shoulder, already pale and swaying. “Three, or I’m not going.”She slices a look at me but doesn’t waste the
I slam my fist into it in reply. They can’t fucking do this to me. Kieran might not be here, but he knows where the fuck I am. Tansy Beach still needs our men—My heart skips a beat.“Elian!” I yell through the mind-link, desperately trying again..“Yeah?” he finally replies.Casual. Alive. Probably
FinnCorwyn spits me out at the feet of the team of guards, all in Tansy Beach indigo, who helped him subdue me. My arm burns, but it’s nowhere near as bad as my mark, which feels like it’s sinking white-hot claws into my heart. I have to go back. Xandra needs me.A shift tingles in the back of my m
Finn stands between us. “He’s doing his diplomatic duty.”“Diplomacy?” Corwyn yanks his hand across his chest, a gesture so rushed I don’t recognize it until a tendril of water reaches out of the bowl at my side and rips back my covers, revealing the scant swell of my stomach. “Is that what you call
“Anyone?” Vedran says, the picture of innocence.Finn. He means Finn. Everything in me lunges toward the suggestion—I need him next to me, holding my hand, another anchor in the storm.“No.” Last time he was in my quarters, he fought Corwyn. Nothing good can come of this.Vedran nods, starts to leav
XandraI lean against the wall of the barracks as healed troops parade before me in Dun’s Crossing’s pale blue and Tansy Beach’s rich indigo. If Father were here, he’d lecture me about my posture, about failing to stand at attention for these brave men who’ve risked so much for our kingdom. But if I