Page 96 of Crown of Briars
“And Warwick won’t be there because he’s in the dungeons,” I mused aloud.
“Right.” Varius rubbed the back of his neck with a sigh. “So, what does the castle want us to see? Why take us here before dawn?”
“Maybe we should ask the library,” I said, half joking.
He shot me a bewildered look. “What?”
My smile faded. “The… library? It gives you books based on what you request.” When he only gaped at me, I said uncertainly, “Does it not do the same for you?”
Half his mouth quirked in a surprised smile. “No, it doesn’t. The fact that it does foryouis an anomaly indeed.”
My face heated. I wasn’t sure why that felt like a compliment.
A bell in the distance started chiming, the sound echoing across the yard. I jumped, and Varius stiffened, squinting toward something to the west. From far away, voices rang out.
“Damn,” Varius muttered.
“Alarm bells?” I asked in a whisper.
“No. Just the morning bell to signal the start of training. The soldiers will be here any moment. Let’s return to the castle. We can try to come back later.”
A wild and reckless idea came to mind, and I snatched his arm before he could turn away. “What if the castle sent us here to witness something important?” I asked, my hushed words coming out in a rush.
Varius’s eyes searched mine. I instinctively knew he was following my train of thought.
If the castleonlywanted to warn us about Warwick, it had already done that. Which meant there was somethingelseit wanted us to know.
The voices grew closer.
“Sybelle,” Varius said in a low voice. “You cannot be seen here.”
I kept one hand on his arm while the other sifted throughthe pocket of my cloak. The pouch of gemstones rattled, and I held my breath, thinking quickly.
This plan was dangerous. It required the use of one of my gems. Could I trust Varius?
I didn’t have to explain about my magic. I could just imply the jewels were magical and came from my kingdom.
Or I could claim the same thing he had about the shadows, and say I was bound by secrecy.
Either way, I resolved then and there tonottell him about my fae magic.
Once more, that same tendril of guilt worked its way through me. I was keeping secrets, too.
But this was different. My magic did not affect Varius’s safety at all.
The thought did nothing to ease the tense knots in my stomach.
“Neither of us will be seen,” I said to Varius. “But I need you to trust me. Can you do that?”
Varius’s brows knitted together, and he stared intently at me for a long moment. “Yes,” he said at last. “I trust you, Sybelle.”
The conviction in his voice sent another surge of warmth through my chest, followed by a twinge of regret.
Because I didnottrust him.
More guilt. More lies. More deception.
It would never end.
