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“Go, Prisca,” he murmured.

“Lorian,” I tried again.

“I won’t kill them. Go.”

I needed to attempt to fix the situation. We’d decided not to kill Eryndan for a reason. So I began walking toward the door. Lorian’s fire moved with me. It wasn’t encircling him. It was encirclingme.

Iwas the one he was attempting to protect. His power had leaked out because I was in danger.

My heart pounded. I’d deal with this later.

Glancing over my shoulder, I caught Lorian leaning close to Eryndan. He murmured something I couldn’t hear. Something that made the old king turn gray. Then he was stalking back toward me.

He stepped through the fae fire. “I know you wanted to swagger out under your own steam,” he said tightly. “I apologize.”

It was rare that Lorian apologized for anything. I swallowed my surprise and shrugged. “Eryndan knows not to mess with us. That was what we wanted to achieve.”

His flames disappeared, and I blew out a relieved breath. Unsurprisingly, the guards didn’t attempt to stop us as we walked down the wide staircase and into the courtyard.

Lorian narrowed his eyes at me, clearly wondering if I was being sarcastic. I sighed. “We both got out of there alive. We messed with his little alliance and taught him that the hybrids are a threat. He already thought we were tied together. And in that case, you’re more powerful than me.” I surveyed him. His face was blank, but he still had a strange, glazed look in his eyes. I’d never seen him wield fae fire before. I had a feeling this was…new. “Is everything…”

“I’m fine.”

He wasn’t fine. Lorian was nothing if not controlled. When he used his power, and when he killed, it was because hechoseto. We’d discussed how we would leave Eryndan’s castle, and a ring of fae fire hadn’t exactly been part of the plan.

I wasn’t sure what had just happened, but all I could do was give Lorian some time to come to terms with it.

And then we would talk.

* * *

When Telean had left the castle that morning, she’d insisted on returning to the seamstress. I’d reminded her that we didn’t have any further royal engagements, and she’d just patted my hand. I had no doubt she would work with Lorian to ensure the elaborate gowns she favored would find their way to me the next time I needed them.

Even knowing she could look after herself, I wondered if I should go looking for her when we made it back to the inn.

“She’ll be fine, wildcat,” Lorian said. “I suggest you focus on whatever you’re planning next.”

I raised an eyebrow. “I’m not sure I understand your meaning.”

He pinched my ass, and I laughed. The laugh died as Asinia burst from the inn. Her face was ashen, her eyes lifeless.

A strange metallic taste flooded my mouth, and my limbs turned to water.

“What—”

“It’s bad, Prisca,” she said.

I tore up the stairs, toward the rooms we’d continued to rent while visiting the castle.

Strong hands caught me, and Tibris pulled me close. “Pris.”

He was alive. I squeezed him tighter. “Demos?”

“He’s fine. Prisca…”

I pushed out of his arms and opened the door.

Thol’s eyes met mine.