Page 102

Taly’s fingers brushed over the map, pausing near the Gate marker. “Do you really think there’s a chance it won’t open?”

“There’s always a chance,” Ivain said, moving to stand beside her. “But Aion’s been humming like a tuning fork, theleylines are cooperating, and the flux levels are stable. If it doesn’t open, it won’t be for lack of preparation.”

“And you think you can evacuate all these people?”

“No. Not all of us,” Ivain admitted. “But enough. And you’ll be one of them.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You expect me just to leave? To watch the city fall while I run?”

“You’re not running. You’resurviving. You know that. Besides, it’s your father I’m banking on to send the reinforcements we’ll need to take back the island.”

Her father. Taly still wasn’t used to the word. It didn’t fit quite right in her mind, like a new pair of boots that hadn’t been broken in. A High Lord, no less. And now, everyone’s survival depended on him.

Taly was mid-thought, still stewing over how she was supposed to matter to a man who had never met her, when the door creaked open.

She turned. Skye stepped in.

His eyes met hers—then immediately darted away.

“You know what,” Skye said. “I… can come back.”

And just like that, he disappeared as quickly as he’d come.

There—there it was. Proof.

Hewasavoiding her.

Not just distracted. Not just lost in his work.Avoiding her.She knew she wasn’t being paranoid!

Taly stared after him, her brows knitting together.

Two nights ago, he’d been all heat and hands, pressed against her like he couldn’t stand the space between them. Like she was something heneeded.

Now, he couldn’t get out of the room fast enough.

What changed?

“Do you always look this despondent when he leaves a room, or is that a new development?” Ivain’s voice pulled herattention back to the war table. He glanced up, his hands busy rearranging markers.

“I’m not despondent,” she muttered, fidgeting with the edge of the map.

“Oh, no. Of course not.” Ivain leaned a hip against the war table, crossing his arms with all the smugness of someone who’d known her since before she knew how to lie. “So, what’s the matter? Has he already forgotten how lucky he is? Because I can have another talk with him.”

Taly fixed him with a look. “Come again?” But Ivain’s smirk only grew. “No, no, please tell me you didn’t.”

“Didn’t what?”

“Don’t play coy, old man. Skye hasn’t been able to make eye contact with me in two days. What did you say to him?”

“Nothing too dramatic,” Ivain said, his tone maddeningly casual. “I just made sure he knew what was expected of him. Respect, care, proper attention…”

“Was there a sword involved?”

“I… might’ve had it with me.”

Taly pinched the bridge of her nose. “Unbelievable.”

Ivain chuckled, clearly enjoying himself. He’d been very disappointed when she failed to bring home boys for him to torture. It seemed he was making up for lost time. “I will have you know that Skye was annoyingly unflappable despite my best efforts.”