Page 87 of The Gilded Cage

“Why would Mirraven want me?”

Caldon sent her a sharp look and countered, “Why would the rebels want you?”

Kiva couldn’t answer that, since she couldn’t admit to their fake abduction.

“So you see,” Caldon went on when she didn’t reply, “keeping an eye on you is much easier when I know where you are. Or at least where youshouldbe.” His pointed gaze caught hers. “Stunts like today don’t help.”

Kiva looked guiltily at the ground. She wasn’t sure if she believed Caldon’s claim about Mirraven — the rebelshadbeen recruiting further north, and Zuleeka could have easily left more people behind than she’d implied. That was much more likely than Kiva being targeted by a second, unknown group on the very same night. The coincidence was too great, and she resolved to put it from her mind, having enough to worry about without adding hypothetical concerns to the list.

Yawning loudly, Caldon pushed off from his desk and moved toward the door. “As much as I’ve enjoyed this midnight chat, I need my beauty sleep. Let’s get you back to your bed. Big day tomorrow.”

“It’s all right, I can make it on my own,” Kiva said, butterflies swarming anew at his reminder.

“Move your ass, Sunshine,” Caldon said, opening the door and giving a jerk of his chin, apparently not taking no for an answer.

Kiva was just relieved that he’d called her Sunshine again, her butterflies fading as warmth crept back in.

Shuffling past him and out into the slumbering hallways of the barracks, she couldn’t resist repeating, “Why don’t you live in the palace?”

This time, Caldon answered. “I do have rooms up there. Have you seen my wardrobe? Where do you think I keep most of my clothes?” He raised a comical brow, and Kiva stifled a grin. But then she sobered as he went on, “I prefer it down here. I grew up moving from barracks to barracks, so it reminds me of that. Of a different time, of things I —” His voice caught. “Of things I don’t want to forget.”

Kiva’s chest tightened at his admission. Jaren had been wrong when he’d said Caldon was avoiding anything that might remind him of his parents. It was the opposite — Caldon was doing everything he could to remember them. Except, perhaps, the things that hurt too much. Like seeing his sister. And visiting the army camps. And taking up the mantle of leadership that he’d been born into, that he’d worked hard for, that he’dwanted.

It didn’t take a genius to figure out that Caldon was punishing himself. That even three years on, his grief remained raw enough to dictate his decisions.

Kiva could empathize with that, more than anyone. She also knew he wouldn’t want her pity, so she mustered a wry smile and said, “Yeah, I can see why you like it down here. It’s so private. Peaceful, too. And there’s so much space. It’s like your own little haven of solitude.”

She’d timed her comment perfectly for when they walked past an open doorway into one of the larger guard dormitories, the bunks cramped together, the loud sounds of snoring — and other bodily functions — echoing out to them.

Caldon’s lips twitched. “I’m sure we could find you a spare room, if you’d like to move down here.”

Kiva pulled a face, and Caldon’s lip twitch became a full grin.

“It’s cold outside,” Kiva said, not rising to his bait — but that only amused him more. “You should button up your shirt or you’ll catch a chill.”

Caldon laughed quietly but made no move to fix his outfit. “Abs like these deserve to be seen.”

Kiva shook her head, unable to keep from snorting in response.

With the mood considerably lighter between them, they made their way out of the barracks and up the path to the palace. Upon reaching the front entrance, Kiva insisted that she didn’t need an escort all the way to her bedroom, and quietly bid Caldon a good night.

Just as she was turning away, he called out to her.

“You say you became the darkness, that it consumed you,” he said, his cobalt eyes soft on hers, “but I call bull on that. I’ve never met anyone who shines as brightly as you do.”

And with that unexpected — and profound — compliment, he walked away, leaving her fighting back tears as she stood there in stunned, heartfelt silence.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Kiva was still reeling from Caldon’s parting words as she made her way through the palace toward her bedroom.

Everything that had happened that day had finally caught up with her, making her feel tired enough to sleep, but her plans of falling swiftly into bed vanished when she spotted a shadowy figure dressed all in black and moving quickly, disappearing around the next corner.

She knew those shoulders. She would recognize them anywhere.

The figure was Jaren. But ... why was he sneaking around his own palace?

Do you really think Eidran would have given me that information, knowing what I’d do with it?

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