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Rhett picked up his bag. “I suggest we rest and clean up. Iona’s ladies should have those clothes ready soon.”

“Iona…” I mused, meeting Rhett’s glare. “Can you at least tell me what she knows?”

He shrugged. “Not much. I said that I wanted to show Mer to my favorite cousin, but I didn’t realize there would be an event. She thinks I’m an ass for not telling her I’d be visiting, and I told her I was disappointed Calindra used our history to avoid inviting my guild. She understands, in her way. Our relationship is… problematic. It always has been.”

“Rhett, I’m sure we could have found another way. You didn’t have to involve her.”

He waved me off, pointing to a bedroom door. “I’ll take this room. It’s smaller.”

“After all these years, you still like her, don’t you?” I asked as he vanished behind the bedroom door without an answer.

Chapter three

A Room Beyond Gloom

Ayla

Turning, I faced Zayne, my heart dropping to my stomach. With all this chaos, it was a relief to finally look at him, and I soaked in the sight. His dark looks—the glowering eyes, the long black hair—had never seemed so handsome. Even disheveled, he was a prince in every way, his horns defiant and the shadows at his fingertips.

He nodded toward our new bedroom.

I glanced at Ninti, but the firewolf had already jumped onto the nearby couch, Rimu settling at her side. The two of them had quickly become inseparable.

Satisfied, I reached for Zayne, placing my hand in his larger one and allowing him to lead me toward the bedroom. I closed the door and leaned against it with a sigh.

Finally, we had a few moments to ourselves.

Because I felt… I felt everything.

My every muscle was tense, my nerves on fire. Our plans hadn’t involved settling so close to our enemy. What if someone was searching for me, the bastard princess who had vanished thenight her sister was declared heir? News would have spread—especially amongst the merchants who traveled to Valterra.

My breaths grew shallow.

Zayne pressed his hand against the door, towering over me and pinning me in place. “Are you all right?”

I peered up at him, certain I couldn’t breathe. When had he become so hot? I mean, he’d always been attractive, and we’d barely been able to keep our hands off each other during our travels. But during the last month in Gloom, I hadn’t feltdesire.Not like this.

I glanced away, taking in the room, and my gaze landed on the single gigantic bed, plush with countless pillows. We’d been sleeping in the same bed for weeks, but the pressure of it struck me in a new way. Before, there had been nothing sensual between us—the mists were too imposing—but now we were here and…

Mer was far hotter than Gloom.

Sweat glistened on my brow and my leathers stuck to my thighs. I glanced down at Zayne’s chest, noting the way sweat made his shirt cling.

Sharing this bed would be nothing like before.

My heart began to pound. The tether ached in my chest, and I arched my back, looking up at him. His lips were moments from mine. Teyr, I wanted him. Heat grew in my hands—

Wait,my hands?

Cursing, I dodged out of his grasp and examined my illuminated fingertips, magic flaring from my complete lack of control.

He followed me. “What’s wrong?”

I turned on him. “I can’t control my magic. I’m surrounded by people who could recognize me.” I squeezed my eyes shut. “Nothing about this feels safe.”

“I’ll protect you. I promise.” He stepped closer and cupped my cheek, and despite my frustration, I leaned into his touch. “If I didn’t think we could handle this, I would have turned us around and left Rhett to his own devices.”

“And what if my magic flares up? What if everyone sees?”