Chapter 30

Ember

I feel the familiar spike of Nara’s irritation as I get ready for my day. Arguing with Nara before the sun has risen has become my new normal.

“You need to talk to him.” Nara’s voice penetrates through my thoughts and I can’t help but sigh.

“I do talk to him,” I mutter aloud, pulling my hair into a tight knot. “Usually about maps and patrol schedules.”

“You know that’s not what I mean.”

I do my best to ignore the voice, yanking on my boots with more force than is probably strictly necessary.

“You’re right next to him every day. That could mean something if you’d just-”

He’s the one who putting distance between us, not me. I have made my choice not to reveal myself, but he is the one who is cold.

“Maybe someone else is influencing his attitude.”

I can’t help but scoff at the thought of Prince Kaine being influenced by anybody. Who would that be?

Nara doesn’t answer directly, but I can feel her unease. It matches same energy that’s been threading through my own chest since Prince Kaine started going cold again. Since he stopped looking at me like—

Like I mattered.

“I’m not chasing someone who doesn’t want me,” I say flatly. “End of story.”

“Then stop thinking about him so much.”

I will. Unfortunately that is better said than done.

Training is a workout this morning, but not as brutal as it had been in the past. I find myself slipping back into the rhythm of things, my body stronger now. I use muscle memory as I practice strikes and parries, rolls and resets.

It would be a great practice if not for Robert lingering again. He stays near the edge of the sparring circle, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. For once, he doesn’t say anything.

There are no muttered insults and no smirking remarks about my promotion. He just watches.

It’s not until the session winds down and I’m toweling the sweat from the back of my neck that he finally speaks.

“You and princes,” he says. It’s not a question.

I don’t turn. “What about them?”

“I saw Jasper pestering you yesterday.”

I do my best not to let my anger get the best of me at his remark. I keep my voice cool as I answer. “Didn’t know you were paying attention.”

His tone is strange. It’s not mocking or angry but curious. There is also something else behind it, jealousy.

“You never used to talk to them,” he adds.

“You never used to care.”

My remark lands harder than I expect and his face hardens, a moment of silence stretching between us before he speaks again,

“Just be careful,” he mutters finally.

I can’t help but turn to face him at this. Who does he think he is to worry about me after everything he put me through? “Why? You think I can’t handle myself?”

His mouth twitches like he wants to say something more, but he doesn’t. Instead, he just nods once and walks away, boots scuffing the stone in a quick retreat.

I watch him go, anger pulsing through me at his audacity. He hurt me and now he thinks he has the right to warn me about the intentions of others. That’s rich.

He doesn’t get to be protective now. Not after the way he tore me apart last year. He doesn’t get to worry.

Later, I receive another summons from Prince Kaine. The message is brief “I need help with the reports.” I am already halfway to his office before Nara starts up again.

“He could ask Jake to do this.”

He trusts my eye for detail.

“He trusts you. There’s a difference.”

I don’t answer.

The door to Prince Kaine’s office is slightly ajar so I only knock once before stepping inside.

Prince Kaine is bent over the desk, sleeves rolled as his ink-stained fingers rest against a rough draft of one of our fabricated reports. He looks deep in thought, but some of the coldness from out last meeting has left his face.

“Close the door,” he says without looking up.

I do, moving to take the seat across from him.

Stacks of documents wait for me, false patrol logs, manipulated schedules, empty leads. Every line crafted to misdirect anyone watching. Especially the Queen.

Prince Kaine passes me a stack of marked pages. “These need to look like the real thing. There should be enough detail to be convincing, not so much that someone starts digging.”

I nod, scanning the first page. “There’s a timestamp conflict on this one.”

“I know. That’s why you’re here.” We work in comfortable silence, pausing every now and again to get the other’s approval.

My mark burns slightly at my proximity to the prince, and I try not to wince. At some point our chairs shifted, making us side by side, and we sit close, shoulders nearly brushing as we pass pages back and forth.

The air is quiet, but it doesn’t feel heavy the way it has for the past few days. Prince Kaine doesn’t scowl. He doesn’t flinch away. His questions are pointed, efficient, but not cold.

Nara stirs at Prince Kaine’s nearness. “He’s not avoiding you now.”

I do my best to ignore her voice. Let it go.

“He keeps looking at you.”

I do my best to ignore it, but I feel it too.

I feel the weight of his gaze when I’m not speaking and note the subtle stillness when my fingers graze the edge of a map near his hand. I feel the bond pulling faintly, it’s not overpowering thanks to the potion, but it’s there.

I focus harder on the reports. Another line scrubbed. Another path rewritten. Another truth buried beneath a layer of precision.

“Have you spent much time with Jasper lately?” Prince Kaine asks suddenly.

I blink startled by the question. His tone is measured but there’s something underneath it, something too practiced.

“A little,” I say. “He’s been… persistent.”

Prince Kaine’s eyes darken, but his voice stays steady as he continues. “He seems to want more than just conversation.”

“That’s not surprising.”

His jaw flexes. “You’d be wise to keep your distance.”

“I wasn’t aware I was being unwise.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

He leans back slightly, arms folding. “He’s the Queen’s son. He has his own agenda and we can’t afford complications while we’re this deep in the investigation.”

I set my pen down. “You think I don’t have the foresight to recognize that?”

His eyes lock onto mine, something shifting beneath the surface.

“No,” he says, quietly. “That’s not what I meant.”

The silence that follows is thick and Nara continues to grow restless.

“He cares. Why won’t you admit it?”

It’s too much. I stand, gathering the completed pages.

“I’ll file these in the outer cabinet. Let me know if you want me to double check anything else before I go.” He doesn’t answer and I quickly make my way toward the door. I don’t turn around, but I feel his eyes on me the whole way, as I make my way out of the room.