Page 146 of A Court of Thralls and Thorns

“Can I have a word?” His voice was low, almost rough.

Cordelle shot me a questioning look. “I’ll meet you in the dining hall,” I said before he could ask.

“Sure,” Cordelle muttered, slinging his satchel over his shoulder and slipping past Zander. The air seemed to thicken as the door clicked shut behind him.

I took a slow breath. “What’s this about?”

Zander’s gaze swept over me, lingering a heartbeat too long. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.” I wasn’t. Not really. “You didn’t come here just to check on me.”

“No,” he said carefully, taking a step closer. “I... wanted to talk.”

My heart thudded in my chest as I remembered the warmth of his lips on mine. The way his hand had slid up my arm like I was something fragile and fierce all at once.

“You’re playing with fire,” I warned.

His lips quirked. “I thought you liked fire.”

“I do,” I shot back. “But I’m not sure you can handle it.”

Zander’s gaze flicked to my mouth, his eyes darkening. “I wish I were here to spar with you, but I have to ask you a question.”

“What?”

“You and Lieutenant Saulter were… talking on the Ascension Grounds before he left. What did he say?”

“I guess I am getting slow if you noticed our hand movements.”

“Lieutenant Saulter mentioned the secret language in his report.”

My fingers flexed. I wasn’t sure why this bothered me so much when Remy had betrayed every confidence I had given him.

“He said to be careful. That things are not what they seem.”

Zander sighed. “He is right. I don’t like Remand, but he is an excellent spy.”

“I’m well aware,” I said in a cold tone.

Zander’s eyes flicked to mine. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”

“It’s fine. I guess I was an easy target. I had no experience with relationships before Remy, and it took me a year to get over him, when I believed he was dead. But that is the past. What are you worried about? At the moment, it isn’t me.”

Zander’s frustration practically radiated off him as he ran a hand through his dark hair. His fingers raked through the strands, leaving it tousled, and he let out a breath that sounded dangerously close to a growl.

“True,” he muttered, more to himself than to me. His eyes flicked away, like he was debating something.

“What’s going on?” I asked quietly.

He turned back to me, his gaze sharp and uneasy. “It’s my father,” he said, voice low. “He isn’t thinking straight. His paranoia is... escalating.”

“Paranoia?” I echoed. “About what?”

“Everything.” His jaw clenched. “The Blood Fae. The Order. Even the guilds. He’s convinced there’s a traitor in the castle—someone powerful enough to undermine the kingdom.”

“That’s why you’re worried,” I said, reading the tension in his stance. “You think he’s making bad decisions.”

“Iknowhe is.” Zander’s eyes flashed dangerously. “He’s taking counsel from someone... someone I don’t trust.”