I shook my head and squeezed his palm three times. He drew in a sharp breath and covered my heart, gently patting my skin, once, twice, three times.

He was mine.

And I was his.

“We are no closer to a way to keep Lyra free of the soul bones.” Kael paced the length of the sitting chamber. “Though I applaud your…creativity, Sentry, you’ve admitted Tomas did not give up those who made the deal. I think it’s time we get Lyra out of the gates.”

I could not shake the image of Tomas’s mangled form.

I always imagined love meant being willing to die for someone. I supposed it was true. But what no one told young, girlish hearts was sometimes they fell for a man who killed for them instead.

“Kael, the gates are lined with Stav and Myrdan guards. If we try to leave, we’ll need to fight our way out.”

An option, Roark offered.

“No.” I shot him a narrow look. “It isn’t.”

Roark leaned against the wall near the inglenook. I should speak to Thane. He’d distract guards, lie, anything. He does not want this any more than we do.

“He is preoccupied today.”

Then he can speak to the king on your behalf.

I tilted my head. “You believe King Damir will bend on this? He is waging war, not entertaining guests.”

Roark closed his eyes for a breath, then spoke in hurried gestures. He might get him to delay, use the wedding as a reason. At least we would have more time.

Kael squinted, clearly doing his best to follow, and in the end he nodded. “If there’s a chance the prince can help us create a delay, then I agree we should tell him. Even one night could help, Ly.”

Roark made a move for the door.

“Wait.” I shot to my feet. “That’s the decision? No other options? What if Prince Thane can’t meet with the king, or what if Damir doesn’t listen? What then? We have no other plans, and if we have no other plans, what do we do if it all goes awry?”

Words tumbled free in a rush of breath. Roark altered his course and took my face in his palms, soothing the panic with a few strokes of his thumbs over my cheeks.

For a moment we were alone, and Kael was not a silent observer. It was only us.

Roark pulled his hand away to speak. We have no time for other plans. If it does not work, I will take to blades if needed to get you free of these walls.

I gripped his wrists. “That’s what worries me. You cannot take on an entire unit of Stav and live.”

Roark pressed a kiss to the side of my head before gently moving his fingers near my face. No faith in me.