He inched forward.

Then his body went rigid.

Sand scattered behind us, and Cion leapt to his feet. I whipped around as a figure emerged from behind the dune.

Cion visibly relaxed and hurried toward it.

A rush of cold air washed over me, highlighting the spot against my ribs where his warmth had been.

I was glad for the darkness. It hid the blush staining my cheeks and the smile spreading across my lips at the thought of almost kissing Cion. The memory warmed me enough to get to my feet and follow.

The figure was shorter than I was, probably another Desert Boy, but it was hard to tell beneath the hood concealing his face.

Cion threw back the hood. I caught a glimpse of a long braid before Cion wrapped the figure in a hug.

I draped my arms around my torso to keep from shivering.

“I got your note,” Cion asked. “Are you well?”

“Yes.” A female voice.

Not just any voice. One I knew well.

I pushed around Cion, certain it couldn’t be who I thought it was. But there she stood, her arms wrapped around him.

Latia.

CHAPTER

24

A strange pain shot through my chest at seeing her next to him.

“Latia?” I asked, not quite believing what I was seeing.

Her eyes went wide when she recognized me. “You brought her?” She tried to pull away from Cion, but he wouldn’t allow it.

“It’s okay,” he soothed, squeezing her hand and moving off to the side so she could get a better look at me.

There was something off about her. About the way she carried herself. Or maybe it was that she wasn’t backing down and was meeting my gaze. She was challenging me.

I took a step back. That couldn’t be right. This was demure little Latia, who wouldn’t even look at me in my gladiator gear because I frightened her so much. The intensity I’d seen in her eyes must’ve been a trick of the moonlight.

“Latia is my source in the palace,” Cion said. “She’s been trying to figure out where the water controls are and feeding me information about what Rodric and your father have been up to.”

I should’ve been pleased we had someone inside the palace who could help, but feelings of betrayal crept up my body. So did some vomit when I saw he still hadn’t let go of her hand.

I took a steadying breath. No, she hadn’t betrayed me. She’d betrayed my father, the same thing I’d done, and yet it still stung because I thought we’d been some version of friends.

I nodded, numb, taking in the way his hand grasped hers with such familiarity, such comfort. No, more than comfort. Affection.

I shook the word from my mind. That couldn’t be right. Could it?

Latia was in love with a soldier back in the palace. The one she drew little rendezvous maps for. The one she would sneak out at night to meet.