“Oh no. Don’t you dare,” I say. “You’re not taking the blame for this. You’re here because of me, not because you suddenly got the urge to take on the Lions in some epic strategy battle. And don’t try to tell me that the piece of information you gave to Logan wasn’t a big deal. He looked like he’d struck gold.”

Instead of a rebuttal, a small, amused smile appears on Ash’s lips. “You have no idea how angry my Family will be when they find out what I’ve traded. It took my cousin the better part of a year to get that intel in the first place.”

“You had no choice,” I say, dropping my intensity to a lighter tone.

The look Ash gives me is surprisingly appreciative. “If only you could give my Family a lesson in forgiveness.”

I laugh, surprised. “Forgiveness? That’s definitely not what I would call what I’m feeling. Gratitude is more like it.”

“Let’s just hope things go smoother in Edinburgh,” he says, and he flashes me a smile, but I can still see worry lingering in his expression. If I had just held off Logan like he did, I would be feeling wicked proud of myself, not nitpicking my performance. But then I was raised by my dad, who Emily used to joke was my personal cheerleading team, and Ash was not.

I want to smile back at him, but I can’t stop remembering what Logan said about my dad. “Ash, who was the guy that my dad is suspected of killing?”

Ash nods, like he knew this question was coming. “Jag’s son-in-law,” he says, and by his serious tone I know this must be a big deal.

“Yeah. Is that…Brendan’s dad?” I ask, a heavy feeling in my chest. As much as I dislike Brendan, I would never wish that upon him, and what’s more, I can’t imagine my dad doing it.

“His stepfather,” Ash says. “And the Regent.”

“And what is a regent exactly?” I ask.

Ash glances at me. “It’s still incredible to me how much you don’t know about Strategia. You’re so much like us, and yet so completely different. What you did with the fire in Logan’s smithy…I would have thrown a knife, any Strategia with your throwing skills would have.”

“Are you saying I should have?” I ask.

“I’m saying what you did was brilliant. You not only assessed how greatly Logan values his smithy, but your attack created a diversion instead of a fight,” he says, and I beam at the compliment.