Chuckles filtered through the hall. I heard nothing but the blood pounding in my skull.

The stores of soul bones were kept under guard, and not even I knew how many had been gathered over the years. Lyra wouldn’t survive it. Craft would devour her, and every Stav, every good soul I knew, would be corrupted.

“Now, on the matter of who unlocked our gates,” Damir went on. “Captain Baldur, you will investigate. Begin with any who might have a distaste for my son’s upcoming vows or our new melder.”

Baldur pressed a fist to the wolf emblem on his tunic.

“I will need the melder under vigilant watch.” The king snapped at Kael, “Darkwin, an obvious choice as her brother, you will assist the Sentry in ensuring the woman is never alone. I don’t care if you stand watch as she takes a piss, you are there.”

The same as Baldur, Kael pounded his chest. We’d gotten on fine enough, me and Darkwin, but when he returned to my side, he said nothing. He did not even look my way.

When the king dismissed us, the three of us followed Thane. The prince asked Emi to be the one to inform his bride of the change to their vows, no one the wiser of his ulterior reasons. In truth, he was offering a final evening between two hearts before life changed for good.

Thane was a greater man than me. His selflessness held no bounds, he sacrificed for others, and did what was best for the kingdom.

I would burn the whole of this land to keep one heart beating.

“Sentry Ashwood.” Kael kept his gaze trained on the floor. “A word.”

There wasn’t time. I needed to see to Lyra. I needed to find a way to keep her from the damn soul bones. No time, but I had the dignity to look the man in the eye.

Thane gestured he would return to the hall. Hopefully he’d be bold like his namesake and kill his father before the power-mad king killed Lyra.

Kael kept one hand on the hilt of his blade. “I need to know that Lyra is not a conquest to you. I live in the Stav Wing. I know what it is like.”

Gods. I had no time for his misplaced speeches about Lyra’s honor. A cruel sort of grin split my mouth. Kael understood some of my hand speak, but not enough. I pulled out a strip of parchment and wrote my reply.

Lyra is the one who lives through this. That is my only conquest. Keeping her alive.

When he looked at me again, his eyes were less hardened. “Do that, Ashwood,” he said in a grit-rough rasp. “And there will be no troubles between us.”

I could respect the man for his defensiveness toward Lyra. It would be needed now.