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"And since I paid for the damages, I expect you to pay off your debt."
"Yes, sir."
"Good," uncle nods in approval. "Now that that's settled, if you need anything else, anything at all, Shaye, let me know."
She smiles and my heart flutters. "Thank you."
Uncle Soren narrows his eyes at us. "Keep your wits about you." He turns to make his way back up the stairs but stops and circles back. "And I expect to see you all at the Harvest Fest."
"We'll be there," I reassure him.
"Good." He motions for his son to follow him. "Come, Ronan, we have much to discuss."
Without a second's hesitation, Ronan trots up the steps, passing Shaye at the mid-way point. He stops, grabs her hand and kisses it. Whispers and giggles are exchanged, and when she smiles at him, my heart feels like it will cave in. I lurch forward, but Nyx smacks a hand against my chest, keeping me glued in place. Once my cousin releases her hand, he chases after his father and disappears from view.
The second her eyes meet mine, I feel a sense of relief rush through me. She's not sitting in a cell. She's not being hauled to a ship set for Midori. She's not being held here at the castle, a prisoner without the title. She's safe.
"It's about time, Kitarni." Nyx slips his arm around her shoulders and tugs her into his chest for a hug. Part of me is jealous that I can't do the same thing, but I maintain a healthy distance, since I know she prefers it.
"Since you're my bodyguard, does that mean keeping me fed falls under your job description?" she teases. "Because I'm starving."
"Me too." Nyx releases her from his grasp before heading toward the entrance. "I'm sure Finn is already preparing dinner."
"Perfect."
As the two of them make their way toward me, I turn alongside them to walk out of the foyer and toward our awaiting carriage. "What happened in there?"
"I made a deal with your king," she says nonchalantly, and for some reason, my heart drops to the pit of my stomach.
I gently grab her arm and force her to face me. "What kind of deal?"
"Your king will grant me access to Calmara and the School of Magic." By the look on her face there's more she's not telling me, but I'm not one to back down from confrontation.
"In exchange for what?"
She nibbles her bottom lip and I know she's contemplating how honest she should be with me. I've seen that look so many times over the last couple of weeks, I've lost count. One day, she won't hesitate to share things like this. One day, I'll be the one she runs to with every good or bad piece of news.
"If it turns out that you are right about Bastian and he releases Drogon, I agreed to fight beside your king, if war breaks out."
"Fight?" My heart skips a beat, and my breath hitches, leaving a constricting ache in its place. "You don't know the first thing about magical warfare. You'd be killed on the front lines."
"That's encouraging," she wrinkles her nose.
"I'm not trying to be mean, but that's the reality of your situation. If you set one foot on a battlefield, you won't make it off. It takes years to master one's magic and you've been aware of yours all of two weeks."
"Then let's pray my instructors know what they're doing." As if that's the end of our conversation, she turns to my brother and says, "If I don't eat soon, I'll become very unpleasant."
"That's it?" Rage builds within me at her nonchalant attitude. "You hope your instructors know what they're doing?"
She whips back around, narrowing her eyes with one dark eyebrow arched. "Did you honestly believe I would walk into that throne room and not make some sort of deal with your king?"
"All leaders make deals, Princess, that concept isn't lost on me," I sneer back. "Do you even realize what you promised him in exchange for some training and access to some ancient records at the library? Your life! You offered him your life!"
"It's mine to barter with, is it not?"
I slap a hand to my forehead, battling the increasing urge to slip my hands on either side of her face and kiss her, hoping she understands that I'm not trying to dictate her actions. I'm trying to keep her alive. Because unfortunately, even though I've managed to control myself, I have feelings for her and the last thing I want to see is her lying dead on a battlefield due to her lack of skills and preparation.
"Maybe it would have been better for you to take him up on his offer to sail back to Midori," I say more to myself than anyone else. Although it is nothing more than a mumbled whisper, she clearly hears what I say based on the surprised, teary-eyed glare she flashes my way. "Princess, I – "
