Page 69 of A Court of Thralls and Thorns

Perin looked like he was about to throw up.

Cade let out a low whistle, shaking his head. “Damn, Z. Scaring the kids now?”

Zander ignored him, motioning for me to follow.

I hesitated, glancing back at Jax, who still looked a little singed but alive. He nodded slightly, a silent way of saying,I got this.

So I swallowed hard, fell into step behind Zander, and followed him toward the Northwest Tower.

The moment we left the training grounds, the silence between us stretched.

Zander’s pace was controlled, each step deliberate. I could still feel the power radiating off him, like the air around him hadn’t quite settled after the display with Perin.

I wanted to say something.

Maybe ask what the name of Akious that had been. The God of Chaos had to have had a hand in that, but the need for preservation kept my mouth shut.

Instead, I just watched him out of the corner of my eye.

His expression was unreadable, his jaw tight.

He didn’t look at me once.

Just walked.

The Northwest Tower loomed ahead, carved into the very cliffs of Warriath, the stone as old as the kingdom itself.

The stone staircase spiraled up, the air growing thinner with every step. The tower was built into the very cliffs of Warriath, standing against the wind like an unyielding guardian.

Rooms were carved into the inner walls, their wooden doors set deep into the stone, some cracked open just enough to show glimpses of dimly lit chambers within. The warders lived here.

But the halls were eerily empty.

Not a single footstep echoed on the steps but our own.

The higher we climbed, the warmer I felt—a thin sheen of sweat forming on my skin.

By the time we reached the top, my chest was rising and falling quickly, sweat dripping down my face as I stepped out into the open air.

The wind was relentless at this height, roaring against us, cold despite the warmth of the day.

I ran a hand through my damp hair, breathing deep as Zander turned to face me.

“Let’s start again,” he said, his voice even, unreadable.

I wiped the sweat from my brow, already wary. “I need Meri, in case I can’t?—”

“I can consume your power if needed.”

I stilled.

What kind of power could consume another?

Something in my chest twisted, my instincts telling me I didn’t want to find out.

“What if I don’t want to?”

Zander arched a brow at my hesitation. Then, without breaking eye contact, he unfastened his jacket, shrugging it off his shoulders.