The prince’s voice was next to the door. My chest tightened. Thane would lead the guards away, but he had to know exactly where I was. He’d never used the bone shard from my fingertip, but it gave the prince the ability to sense my whereabouts.

He knew I was tucked away like a coward.

If he knew that, he would suspect the fallen Myrdan noble had something to do with me.

Lyra’s breaths were hot against my lips, but the poisonous fear filled her gaze again. I dragged my fingertips across the line of her lower lip, pressed a soft kiss there, then stepped back.

I will say this was my doing.

She clutched my tunic. “Don’t you dare. You did not want his hands on me, I do not want their hands on you.”

Wicked, beautiful woman. I pressed a kiss to her palm. Thane will know.

I stepped for the door, and Lyra tried to protest, but stopped when I unlocked the latch. As expected, Thane leaned against the wall, picking his fingernails with a small knife, a look of annoyance in his eyes.

“Normally this disheveled state of you might bring me joy.” Thane used the knife to point at a moaning Tomas. “Alas, tonight feels a little different. Care to explain, my friend?”

34

Lyra

Thane’s mouth parted in surprise when I emerged from the small chamber behind Roark. My skin was still flushed from the passion of his kiss, and doubtless my hair was unkempt and wild.

I knew enough about the prince to know he would’ve laughed any other night. Tonight, he shoved a palm against Roark’s chest, eyes dark with frustration.

“How do you expect me to protect you when you pull shit moves like this? Tomas is an ass, but he’s a noble ass, and you broke his damn jaw. You know Hundur despises Dravenmoor because of his brother-in-law.”

“What happened to his brother-in-law?” I asked, voice soft. Gods, how could it get worse? If Roark was implicated here and the Myrdan king already had a vendetta…

Thane flicked his gaze to me, frowning. “The late Draven king was once challenged by the queen’s brother for a rumor that his younger sister was kidnapped by a Draven nobleman. Let’s just say there was one less Myrdan soon enough. Hundur has claimed it as murder for seasons.”

I looked to Roark, who’d gone stoic and stern, all Sentry while the prince spoke.

Thane looked away again, glaring at his guard. “Hundur will see this as another aggressive act by a Draven. What if he takes Yrsa away? You know what her life is like in Myrda.”

Roark glanced at Tomas, still moaning on the steps, hands over his face. From the sneer on the Sentry’s face, I wasn’t certain Roark felt much guilt for what happened here.

Still, I refused to watch him take the blame on my behalf.