Page 169 of A Crown of Tears and Treason
Even as I wrote furiously, knowing nobody but myself would ever read this letter, I swear I could feel eyes staring at the words from over my shoulder. Judging. They curiously felt like my parents’, trying to warn me from beyond the grave.
I ignored the shadows. I shouldn’t have.
Chapter
Fifty-Four
EVIE
Iwas wrong.
It was Adara, not Goose, who burst into my room as the early sun crawled in, not even bothering to knock.
Zandyr jolted awake, arms tensed for battle. His body covered mine protectively, torso hovering over my small form, a snarl on his face that instantly vanished when he saw who barged in.
Adara took one look at us, all tangled together, and sniffed the air. Her eyes narrowed. “We’re leaving in half an hour.”
Then she turned on her heels and slammed the door behind her.
“She’s cranky in the morning, isn’t she?” I stretched underneath him, feeling all the delicious strain in my legs. That was new. How–
Oh. I blushed as I remembered the way said legs had tensed around Zandyr’s head.
His low chuckle filled the room. “Enjoyed last night, did you?”
“Yes,” I said, my voice huskier than it had ever been.
Zandyr stole a chaste kiss, smiling against my mouth. Then he suddenly turned serious. “I’ve been thinking–”
“Dangerous occupation, that.”
“We don’t have to leave today. Screw the ritual. You’re safest here, training .”
It warmed my heart that he was so protective, it did. But…“It’s important. Your–our–people will expect it.”
“We can fake it. Make it seem like I was searching for you all day and not leave this bed.”
I furrowed my brows. “Doyouwant to do it?”
His answer came through our connection, as clear as if he’d spoken it.
Yes, a primal part of him very much wanted to indulge in this little tradition. The chase. He wanted to hunt me down and find me, only me, and damn if my toes didn’t curl at the idea. He must’ve realized I was sensing him, because he leashed that emotion fast.
“What I want is to keep you safe,” he said.
“And I will be. The entire Capital will be waiting to see me off and I can’t just ignore one of your most cherished wedding rituals.” I stole a kiss of my own and rolled away before he could stop me. “Now let’s hurry or Adara might just come in and dress us herself.”
“Let the Capital wait. All I care about now is you.”
“Banu and Valuta would know we didn’t do it for real and they might suspect I’m not running away right before the wedding. And I want to do this, too. I need to stand on my own.” Even for half a day.
It took most of the half hour to convince Zandyr to relent. Even as we walked down, me dressed in a large golden gown that hid the armor underneath, there was a grim tilt to his mouth.
Adara, Goose, and Leesa waited for us on the veranda. Goose had a journal in his right hand, fingers twitching against the leather cover as if he couldn’t wait to open it.
Zandyr nodded at Adara. “As soon as you pass the jungle, thirty of my best warriors will escort you on horseback.”
“You weren’t supposed to know where we’re going.” I pinched his shoulder playfully. When had I turned into this woman, so open and brazen in front of all these people? They couldseeme batting my eyelashes at Zandyr.
