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Alex hadn’t noticed how cold she was until he’d pointed it out. Her body was shivering to fight off the stinging bite of the wind from their journey.

“Forgive me, little human,” Zain said, seeing her trembling. “I didn’t realise you were uncomfortable.”

“Don’t worry about it,” she said through her chattering teeth. “I was too distracted by the scenery to notice the cold, anyway.”

“Be that as it may, we can’t have you freezing to death,” Roka said, and he unclasped his cape and placed it around her shoulders. It was way too big on her, but warmth immediately began to flow through her body, and she smiled gratefully at him.

“Thank you, Prince Roka.”

“I’m not a fan of formalities, Alex,” he said. “Just call me Roka.”

She furrowed her brow and looked from him to Zain and back again. “But Zain calls you by your title.”

“Zain is one of my closest friends,” Roka said, “but he also happens to be one of the most respected warriors in Meya’s elite guard. Because of that, he often has to maintain a semblance of formality around me, but he doesn’t usually call me ‘Prince’ unless it’s for official business, with witnesses present.”

“Like when he’s picking up a mortal and escorting her to Meya in the dead of the night?” Alex asked dryly.

“A perfect example,” Roka said, his lips twitching with humour as he turned to his guard. “For future reference, Zain, you can be at ease around Alex.”

“You can also stop calling me ‘little human’,” she told the guard, for what felt like the hundredth time.

“What would be the fun in that?” Zain asked with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

Alex huffed at him but decided to let it go—for the moment, anyway. She followed the two Meyarins over to a set of plush gold couches on the far side of the room and collapsed onto the super-soft material.

“Is this your office, Roka?” she asked, eyeing the opulent furniture complete with a massive wooden desk piled high withall sorts of interesting objects, most of which Alex couldn’t begin to identify.

“One of them,” he answered, leaving it at that. “Can I offer you something to eat or drink?”

Alex couldn’t deny that she was curious about Meyarin cuisine, but it was the middle of the night and she could feel her bed calling her from miles away. She decided not to prolong their discussion for longer than necessary.

“I’m good, thanks,” she said. “Why don’t we fast forward to where you explain why you needed to speak with me so urgently?”

“I’m truly sorry for disrupting your sleep, Alex,” Roka said, and he did look like he meant it, “but I just received news of your encounter with my brother earlier tonight. For so long we’ve heard nothing of Aven and his dealings—although we do keep tabs on him from time to time—and then to suddenly have you come out of nowhere with your story… Well, I’m sure you can understand our surprise.”

“I definitely can,” Alex said. “But I’m still not sure why I’m here?”

Roka looked away and ran a hand through his dark hair before he turned his piercing golden eyes back to her. “Alex, I’ve spent the majority of this past week trying to convince our ruling council—and my father—not to insist you remain in Meya indefinitely.”

“What?” she squeaked.

“You’re considered to be our most significant threat right now,” Roka said. “With your access to the Library, you’re the only one of your kind who can help Aven return to our city. The council members are hesitant to trust the word of a mortal girl whose allegiances they believe could be swayed with the right incentive.”

“Aven nearlykilledme,” Alex reminded him. “He also tried to kill my best friend, using me as his puppet! If he’d had hisway tonight, he would have killed or Claimed a whole group of people I care about. I wouldneverhelp him, no matter the incentive!”

“Perhaps not willingly,” Roka said, “but Aven is a skilled manipulator. And you’re young, even for your own kind.”

“I’m not an idiot, Roka,” Alex said, jutting her chin out. “I know the difference between good and evil.”

“Knowing is important,” the prince acknowledged. “But there’s a great difference between knowing what’s right and being able to hold onto it in the face of adversity.”

Alex massaged her temples, feeling her earlier exhaustion returning.

“Let me get this straight,” she said. “You’re telling me that the Meyarin council wants to lock me up? That’s a bit extreme, don’t you think?”

“I agree,” Roka said. “And I’ve spent many hours arguing on your behalf.”

“Why?” she asked. At his questioning look, she clarified, “Why defend me?”