“And you.” Thane’s features hardened when he faced Roark. “I am told you tortured our guest the whole of the journey. It won’t go unpunished, Roark. I swear to you.”

My eyes widened. I reeled on the prince. What was he doing? I’d not spoken a word about Ashwood.

Roark’s nose wrinkled, like he might snarl. In a frenzy he spoke with his hands to the prince, who observed each gesture as readily as if the Sentry were spitting his retorts vocally. Too fast for me to keep up.

“That is not the story she told,” Thane said. Ashwood responded briskly, eyes like fire. Thane sighed. “Well, forgive me, but why would she lie?”

“Highness,” I interjected. The last thing I wanted today was to earn more of Ashwood’s blades and ire.

Then, Emi laughed. She clapped a hand over her mouth to muffle the sound and shoved—truly shoved—Roark’s arm like he was nothing but a boon companion. “You fool. How long has it been since you’ve fallen for his games? What’s gotten into you?”

Thane pressed his lips into a tight line, the sort of look when one was desperate to keep from grinning.

Roark’s gaze bounced from the prince, to me, then back to the prince. He made a jerky signal with one hand.

Thane drew in a feigned gasp of scandal. “You cannot call me such names, I’ll take your head. Ah, I will, don’t press me. I never should’ve made that one up.”

By the gods, this was…unsettling.

The prince gripped Roark’s shoulder, a friendly sort of greeting, then returned to me. “Apologies again, Lyra. I had to poke him. He never smiles, you see.”

“I’ve noticed.” I turned my indifference toward the Sentry.

His jaw set and fists tightened in return.

“This is where I leave you. I am told I must also escort my mother. Seems no one can stroll the halls on their own these days.” Thane bowed slightly and pressed a kiss to the top of my hand. His next words were heady with sincerity. “All will be well, I promise.”

The prince asked for Emi to accompany him and give a recount of the journey. The two Stav Guards remained at my back, the only other presence crowding the silence between me and Roark.

Behind those doors the king would claim me as his new pet. Kind as the prince tried to be, this moment felt a great deal like facing the darkness of my end.

The air grew hot, like falling sparks bit into my skin. Walls were too near, too tight, too confined. All at once the corridor became my haven. The moment I went through those doors, I would be in chains. Perhaps not literally, but King Damir would have me in his sights. I would be a prize of a century-old treaty. Nothing more.