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There goes five jaders.

“Turn your head, guard,” he demanded.

I did as I was told.

He blinked at the smooth, unmarked flesh of my cheek.

He grabbed my chin and whipped my head back to the other side.

I let him. It didn’t matter where he looked; the three scars from his knife were gone. The Magi’s spell might have changed my appearance, but it didn’t take away my Kovakian ability to heal quickly.

He dropped his hand, curious, yet still wary. “As you were,” he said, keeping his sharp gaze fixed on me as he stepped back to give us orders. “Tell the malacks they can come back to clean up tomorrow. I don’t want to be disturbed for any reason tonight.” A sly smile crossed his lips as if he was delighting in something held in the privacy of his mind. Then he was back, offering us a harsh glare. “Understood?”

“Yes, Commander!” we said in unison.

He swept past us into his chambers, and moments later, the remaining servants filed out.

There was nothing left to do now but wait for the explosion—if it came.

17

Raven

When the commander stepped into his chambers, his eyes lit up as his gaze swept over me.

Cascades of emerald fabric somehow managed to drape elegantly over my too-thin limbs. Earlier that evening, Krish had brushed my hair until it was shiny and lustrous as black silk before twisting half of it into a graceful knot at the base of my neck and letting the rest spill down my back. It was a far cry from the dirty, tangled mess I’d lived with for so long. Yet, I felt no more like myself than I had in the mine.

“You look …breathtaking,” Bain said, sending away the servants with a wave of his hand. They hurried out, leaving behind a mini feast elegantly arranged on an intimate table for two.

“It’s the dress,” I said dismissively, though my heart was pounding nervously. I’d spent the afternoon devising a plan to ask the commander for help to escape. During dinner, I would pretend that I had finally regained my memories. Then I would tell him that my family possessed a magical weapon that might be able to help him kill Thrailkull. If he was intrigued,I’d convince him to let me go so I could retrieve the fictional weapon.

If he didn’t see right through the lie.

“No, I don’t think it’s the dress,” he said. His lips quirked into a devilish smile.

I felt my cheeks burn, unsure how I felt about his staring at me so intensely. I didn’t hate it.Stick to the plan, Raven, I told myself.

Bain removed his weapons belt and pulled out the chair as an invitation for me to sit. Then he sat opposite me. “I took the liberty of ordering us tea instead of wine tonight, as it has seemed to aid your recovery so well, and I would like you to continue to mend. May I pour you some?”

“Yes, thank you,” I said, trying not to drink the whole cup in one gulp. A calming warmth washed over me. He was right, this tea had been a welcome balm to my broken body.

He smiled and poured more for me before filling his own cup. Then he dished out food on both our plates, not bothering with the formality of separating out the different courses.

“Eat,” he said, nodding toward the food.

Before I knew it, I was swooning to the taste of the creamy goat cheese tart melting in my mouth and taking extra helpings of the stewed parsnips. By the time I looked up from my plate after the caramel fig pudding, the room had become wonderfully dreamlike as if I’d fallen into a happy food haze.

“Did you like it?” Bain asked.

“I loved it,” I said, feeling a giddy grin tickling my lips as I finished my third cup of tea. For some reason, Bain seemed fuzzy around the edges like I couldn’t quite bring him into focus.

He laughed when I dipped my finger into the leftover caramel sauce and licked it off. The candlelight danced between us. Looking at him now, he was devilishly handsome in his cape and armor. Why hadn’t I noticed this before? I felt entrancedby his broad shoulders, his muscular arms, and his dark eyes, which sparkled with interest in the firelight. It seemed silly that I’d ever wanted to leave this place, to leave him.

Wait, a small voice inside my head warned.

Blinking, I glanced around the room like I’d suddenly lost my way in the forest.Something’s not right.

But it was allsoright. The dress. The food. The company. There was nowhere I’d rather be …was there?