Page 235 of A Warrior's Fate

Adrien went quiet for a moment. “When a witch crosses our borders, the treaty drafted between us states that they can be dealt with as we see fit. Over the past decade or so, there has been an influx of them in the mountains. Maybe spying, maybe planning to do something to us, I don’t know, but they were caught and put in Valkeric.”

Isla had to force her face into a look of shock.

Adrien continued, “They’re still there, and…I think my father’s been bargaining terms with them for their release.”

The fear that cast across her features wasn’t so fabricated. “What terms?”

“Work on Io’s guard. Defend our outer and inner borders.”

“Why would he want to keep witches on the inner borders?”

“Can you tell me?”

“No,” she answered without thought, but then remembered what Sebastian had said.

Io had been suspicious of Kyran since those meetings he’d called with Cassius. They didn’t trust him and his intentions. Cassius may have been planning to strike at Deimos and take Mavec—he also may have not—but if he suspected Kyran was planning something, then he’d be on the defensive.

It was another thought of hers confirmed when Adrien mentioned, “He’s bringing one here when he comes for the challenge under the guise of a guard. There’s an enchantment they can use that can keep them hidden from us until they use their magic again. She’d only be for his protection. Used if…something happened.” Isla let out an astonished breath, and Adrien added, “Can you blame him?”

She bit down on the inside of her cheek.

As much contempt as she held for the Imperial Alpha right now—and as angry as Adrien may have been with him after approving the challenge, after all that had occurred with Cora—she understood the hurt and nerves in her friend’s voice, on his face. Cassius was still his father.

“How can we trust that it’s just protection?” she asked gently.

“Because I convinced him, at least, to not take one of his untested recruits. He thinks that I’m also making a deal right now with the healer’s daughter.”

“And that is?”

“Raana.” Something shifted in his face when he said her name. Became…softer. “You can trust her.”

“She’s a witch?”

“Yes.”

“I’m not really in the business of trusting witches.”

“Then trust me.”

There was the smallest piece of her that took those words with hesitation, and she hated it. “You know her well? Raana?”

Another test on her mouth, and another change to Adrien’s face.

The question, the repetition of the witch’s name, seemed to spark something behind his eyes. Had the corner of his mouth threatening to lift before he pressed his lips together tightly. He looked off into the distance, down the river, and Isla caught the way he clenched and unclenched his fists as if wanting a touch that wasn’t there. “Pretty well.”

It was a reaction Isla had seen from him before.

She had to keep her jaw from falling open. “You slept with her?” Her whisper was loud enough that she shouldn’t have even bothered.

Adrien faced her again. “Is sex all you can think about right now?”

“Adrien.”

“It was one time. It never happened again.”

Though it was said as a brush-off, Isla didn’t miss it. The way his eyes dimmed, and every part of him tensed again.

“Good,” she said carefully, guilt gnawing at her gut. “You’re the Prince of All Wolves. The last thing you, of all people, need is to be screwing around with a witch. More than you apparently already have.”

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