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“I think I’ll pass this time,” I replied. “I still have nightmares about those freaky kraken trying to drown me.”

Adeline’s face lit up, as if just now remembering the attack. “Saints, Jade! I’m so sorry! Oh my, I’m such an idiot for bringing you out here!”

“Adeline!” I said, grabbing her by her shoulders to calm her down. “It’s okay. I have much worse things to be afraid of. Truly. Swimming just…I think I’ll take a break from leisurely dips in the pond for a while.”

She seemed to relax under my touch. “Fine,” she said. “I can’t believe I forgot about that.”

“Don’t worry,” I said. “Lifetimes ago. Remember?”

She smiled softly. “So, have you spoken to Sadie at all?”

I snapped my attention to her, noting the directness of the question. “Why do you ask?”

She shrugged. “No reason. A little birdie just happened to tell me you like to lurk in the dungeons from time to time.”

I rolled my eyes. “Malachi has such a big mouth.”

“Oh, please,” she spat. “I basically had to pry it out of him. He doesn’t talk to me much at all these days.”

“Yeah,” I agreed. “That makes two of us.”

Silence filled the air between us. I turned my attention to the nature that surrounded us. To my right, a bright red butterfly landed on a small yellow flower that bloomed from the wall of green shrubbery. Birds chirped lightly in the distance, just loud enough to add the ambiance of the flowing water. The sun glistened through the tall tree branches above.

“He misses you,” she interrupted.

“What?”

“Malachi. He misses you. It’s killing him that you two aren’t together.”

Heat rose to my cheeks. “Did he tell you that?” I asked, pretending to look around at the trees.

“He didn’t have to. It’s pretty obvious, Jade. But I know you know that, too.”

I paused for a moment, considering her words. “I can’t just forgive him, Adeline. He…hebetrayedme.”

“Look,” she said, turning to face me. “I love you, so I’m going to be honest with you. Malachi didn’t betray you. Not even close. He saved your life, just like he has done dozens of times before. And then he broke the treaty to go retrieve your family so that you might have a tiny chance at not hating him for once. He did not betray you, Jade. You just saw a different side of him than he had once shown you.”

“I didn’t like that side of him,” I said, but something dark inside of me resisted the words.Liar. “He’s dangerous.”

“Yes, he is. And do you want to know the crazy part?”

“Sure,” I sighed.

“When your power becomes stronger, which after what I saw in the dining hall tonight is already happening, you’ll be just as dangerous.”

Just as dangerous as the King of Shadows?

“That’s not possible.”

“It is possible, Jade. Malachi loves you. What would you do to protect the people you love? Where would you draw the line? I bet pretending to trade Malachi’s life for your own doesn’t even come close to the ends you would go to. What if it were Tessa?”

“But it wasn’t Tessa. It was me.”

“Yes, it was. You’re strong, Jade. And you’re his. You’ll always be his, and he’ll kill anyone who touches you. You know this is true.”

I shrugged. “He still hasn’t killed Isaiah, though, has he?”

“He will when the time is right,” she said.