Where am I?

“Lady Selene!” Karl came crashing through the bushes. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”

“Karl.” Selene stood up on shaky legs, her hand still to her face. “I fell asleep and—” Her eyes went wide.

Damien.

She dropped her hand and looked at Karl. “We need to get back to the palace—now.”

43

Damien woke up with a start, cold sweat covering his body. He drew in raspy breaths and grabbed the front of his tunic. Death. An overwhelming sense of death clung to his mind, clouding his vision and clutching at his throat. There had been a woman with short hair—and Selene—and yelling—and blades—

Selene!

His head snapped up. The bedchamber was dark, save for the bit of light coming in through the windows. A cool breeze swept in through the open casement, sending a shiver across his soaked body. Damien reached for the left side of the bed, hoping he was wrong and Selene had returned.

Empty.

His heartbeat jumped tenfold. “Taegis!” Damien yelled as he shoved the covers back and swung his legs around.

“I’m here, my lord.” His guardian’s voice sounded near the bed.

“Taegis, what are you doing here?”

“Careful where you step. Dart’an,” Taegis muttered softly.

“What’s going on? Where’s Selene—?” Damien’s breath caught in his throat as he spotted Taegis kneeling beside a body near the bed. He grabbed a small knife from the table and stood. His body began to shake, but he clenched his hands and gritted his teeth. “Who is that? What’s going on?”

Taegis let out a long sigh and bowed his head. “I found her beside your bed, clutching your arm. When I tried to pull her away, she held on with a viselike grip. Then you began to cry out . . .” He shook his head. “I had no choice once I realized who she was.”

“Who is she?”

Taegis stood and stepped away from the body. He passed Damien and reached for the candle. A moment later, dim light filled the room.

Damien stared. Her hood was back, revealing short, curly auburn hair and small feminine features.

His heart stopped.

Taegis held the candle above the woman. But Damien had already guessed who it was. The other Ravenwood daughter.

“The short hair threw me off, but there’s no mistaking her. Lady Amara Ravenwood.”

“Selene’s sister,” Damien murmured. Then he noticed the pool of blood spreading across the stone floor.

“She was sent here to kill you, of that I’m sure. And when I couldn’t dislodge her hand from your arm, I had no choice.” His voice was heavy with grief.

Damien looked up. He didn’t know what to say. If it were any other person, he would have felt anger toward his would-be assassin. But this was Selene’s sister, and although Selene was not close to her family, a member of her family had just died. “There’s nothing you could’ve done.”

Taegis rose slowly and drew in another breath. “I know. I’ve been guarding you and House Maris for many years. And I would still make the same choice. But it doesn’t mean I like it.” He pulled a cloth from his belt and wiped his blade. “We will need to inform the captain of the guard for House Luceras and make sure there are no more assassins in the palace.”