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Her skin prickled as they slowed their pace and began making their way west, closer to the palace. They made it to another building. Josenu sprinted across the top and then dropped to the ground on the other side.

Wren ran to the edge and gritted her teeth. It was a far drop. There was no way she’d make it.

“I’ll go down first,” Leif said. “Josenu and I will catch you.”

She nodded as the bard jumped down, hardly making a sound.

The hair at the nape of her neck rose and goosebumps erupted down her arms.

Wren lifted her head and once again looked at the palace looming to her right. Her attention focused on marble stairs that lead to the entrance. A lone figure stood atop, dressed completely in black, his long sliver hair waving in the breeze.

Arrik.

She froze as he stared back her. She couldfeelhis gaze on her, running over her skin. Angry, possessive, and…hurt. Time stretched and she heard Leif hiss her name, but she couldn’t tear her eyes from the prince.

He nodded to her like he was accepting a challenge.

Her belly quivered. She had thrown down the gauntlet when she’d tricked him.

Wren blinked and the spell was broken.

The prince ran down the stairs, and she could hear him shouting.

“Wren!”

She didn’t think twice and jumped from the roof. Her breath whooshed out of her as Josenu and Leif caught her. “We have a problem,” she breathed. “The prince saw me.”

“What?” both men said at the same time.

“He was standing at the entrance of the palace.”

“Rot it,” the spy growled. “We must go to the sewers.” He ran to a round iron cover set in the cobbles and lifted it. “Leif, you first. You know the tunnels better than anyone.”

“That I do,” Leif sang. He skipped over to the hole in the alley and jumped inside without hesitation.

Wren followed him and peered down into the hole. It smelled something horrible.

“Come on, dragon princess, I will catch you,” Leif called softly.

She looked up at Josenu. “You’re coming behind us?”

His jaw set. “No, I must close the cover and make sure to get back to my patrol.”

“May the winds be with you,” she whispered, then sat down and swung her legs into the hole.

The spy nodded. “Be careful, princess. His reach is far. Never assume you are safe. Trust no one.”

The prince had said something similar to her. She took one last look at Josenu’s face and then jumped. Leif caught her easily and set her down. Her feet sunk into water that was slimy and she gagged.

Don’t think about it.

The cover scaped against stone as Josenu began to push it back into place. Wren glanced up at the moon a second before the cover was settled in place, cutting off the light.

“What do we do now?” she rasped.

Leif reached for her, his fingers running along her arm until he grabbed her hand.

“We run.”