Page 54 of Court of Lies and Deceit

“Look at me.”

Wiping away the escaped tear, he turns back to meet Draven’s gaze.

“What I said back in the barracks after Selena cut out the dragon steel,” Draven begins, holding his best friend’s gaze with serious eyes. “I didn’t mean it. I was angry and frustrated and worried because everything had just gone to hell, and I took it out on you. But I didn’t mean it. It wasn’t your fault. And you couldn’t have known about the dragon steel.”

Galen draws in an unsteady breath. “I am so, so sorry.”

“Me too. And I hate how much time we’ve lost because of this.” He looks from Galen to Lyra and then back again. “Soplease, stop with the guilt and the hesitation and all the walking on eggshells around me. We’ve already lost two hundred years of friendship. I don’t want to lose a single day more.”

Lyra swallows thickly and then nods, her eyes brightening again. Across the table, Galen draws in another shuddering breath as he holds Draven’s gaze.

And then he smiles.

Warmth floods my soul. Draven deserves this. He deserves everything. Friends. Family. Love. Freedom. Good food and lazy days and happiness. Winds and open horizons. A future full of endless possibilities.

A sudden overwhelming urge fills me.

Draven deserveseverything. And I’m going to make sure he gets it.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Ice and fire roar through the room. I wince as the two forces almost cancel each other out instead of working together against Draven, Lyra, and Galen, who are facing Alistair and Isera from across the room. Sand rises from the ground, whirling like a tornado, as Draven throws a blast of wind back at them.

Jocasta snaps her fingers in front of my face. “Pay attention.”

Blinking, I give my head a quick shake to clear it and focus on my own training instead. “Sorry.”

“I know you wanna fuck him, but keep it in your pants until you’re back at the house at least.”

A jolt shoots through me, and my cheeks practically catch fire, as I snap my gaze away from Draven. Shaking my head, I blurt out, “What? No, that’s not what I?—”

“You didn’t even askwho.”

Heat sears my cheeks even deeper.

Jocasta chuckles and shakes her head at me, but there is a smile lurking on her lips. “Kid, even my blind and dead grandmother could see if from a mile away.” Her gaze turns pensive. “So what’s stopping you?”

My heart twists uncomfortably at the question.

What’s stopping me? Before all of this craziness started where I almost died and we got trapped in the Unseelie Court, Draven told me that helovesme. And I didn’t reply.

I don’t want him to feel as if I’m just playing with him. He has had enough people manipulate him already. So first, I need to figure out how much of my feelings are my own.

That is what’s stopping me.

But I can’t tell Jocasta that, of course, so I just clear my throat and reply, “Can we just focus on the lesson, please?”

“Oh, now you want to focus on the lesson?”

I give her a flat look.

She chuckles again but thankfully lets the issue drop. Instead, she draws in a long breath and motions at me. “Alright, this frustration that you’re feeling right now. Try to share it with me.”

“Share it?” I frown at her. “What’s there to share? I’m frustrated because I can’t do the things you’re telling me to do. But you already know that. So what else is there to share?”

She laughs. “No, I mean share the emotion. So that I feel your frustration too.”

I stare at her, my eyes wide.

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