Page 127 of A Court of Wings and Shadows

Zander gave a humorless smile. “It caused more than that. Dorian tried to be diplomatic about it. Darmon avoided Remy altogether. And Theron?” He paused. “Theron seems to like him.”

That settled wrong in my stomach.

Theron liking anyone was rare.

Theron liking Remy was alarming.

I felt the air tighten around me, like every secret I’d ever carried was suddenly sitting on my chest. The swirl of emotions rising inside me, confusion, guilt, anger, was too sharp to ignore.

“I should go,” I said quickly, stepping back. “I need to clear my head.”

Zander didn’t argue. Not aloud. But the way his eyes lingered on mine, worried, heavy, told me he didn’t want me to leave.

Still, he gave a small nod.

And I turned before he could say anything else.

I walked with purpose, my boots echoing softly off the stone. My hands clenched at my sides, trying to contain the storm within as I made my way toward the northwest tower.

Where the shadows were thicker.

Where I could finally breathe.

The northwest tower was quieter than the rest of the castle, the stone walls cool beneath my fingertips as I walked the narrow corridor. I wasn’t sure why I came here, only that I needed away. From Zander, from Remy, from all the questions that felt like they were suffocating me from the inside out.

As I rounded the base of the stairs, I spotted a familiar figure.

Quinn.

He was halfway to the first landing, shoulders hunched like he carried too many burdens for someone so young, so quiet. I called out before I could think better of it.

“Quinn.”

He paused and turned, a small, surprised smile blooming across his face. “Ashlyn.”

I crossed the space between us quickly and, without hesitation, wrapped him in a quick hug. He stiffened at first, then relaxed, his arms loosely returning the embrace.

“How are you?” he asked, stepping back. “You look... tired.”

“I’m good,” I lied with a smile, then tilted my head. “How are you?”

He hesitated. Then frowned. “I’m okay. Things have been...” he trailed off.

“I know about the other warders,” I said softly. “Were they friends?”

His expression tightened. “I’d met them. But they were far more advanced than me.”

I looked around the empty tower base. “Where are your guards? I thought the warders had protection now.”

He gave a half-hearted grunt. “They come and go. They think being assigned to me is babysitting duty, so…”

My blood boiled beneath my skin. I forced my face to stay neutral, but Kaelith stirred sharply in the back of my mind.

You are in distress,she said.

No,I bit back.I’m mad. Quinn has no security. The guards treat it like a joke.

Kaelith growled, the sound low and vibrating through the bond.