Page 17

ALIX

F ollowing the debacle that revealed the curse and the conversation in my room, Daemon loosens the reins on his guard duties. He gives no explanation or warning, but starts disappearing for long stretches of time and sending his friends in his place. I’m not sure if I should be hurt or relieved.

The craziest thing is, I can always tell when he’s outside versus when one of the guys is. Even with the door closed, it’s like I can feel his presence like a prickle on the back of my neck. Once I think I sense him leaving, and I rush to the door to find Kastian sitting outside in his place.

“Where’s Daemon?” I blurt out.

Kastian looks up at me from beneath startlingly long eyelashes. “Had to go talk to Thorne about something. Why? Do you need anything?”

“Nope, I’m fine!” I flush with embarrassment and retreat back inside.

I close the door and shake my head, internally berating myself for my stupidity. It was just a coincidence. I obviously can’t really feel Daemon’s presence…I’m clearly starting to lose it.

Three days go by with relatively little incident. I rescue my yarn from Sushi and knit two and a half scarves and spend my time getting to know Daemon’s friends. Each of them is so different, and I quickly learn more about them just by nature of proximity.

Kastian is clearly Daemon’s best friend. That much is obvious to me—not just from the way they talk to each other but also because he’s the most frequent of my substitute bodyguards. He doesn’t talk to me much, and always looks a little sad when I poke my head out into the hallway to check who’s on duty. I only try talking to him once before I discover that he doesn’t want to talk about his past, why he was sent to prison, or basically anything more substantial than the weather. Still, his presence is calming. Steady. Like the anchor of a ship on stormy waters.

When Jett guards me, he usually comes inside my room to chat with me which makes the time pass far faster. I learn that he’s younger than the others by several decades, which I suppose accounts for why he seems more human to me, even though he’s clearly not. Jett explains that he grew up on the streets in Solistine with a pack of other homeless kids. The “theft” that got him sent to Dyaspora was just a single loaf of bread that he stole to feed a group of young children.

“And you got sent to prison just for that?” I ask, horrified. I’m sitting on my bed knitting yet another scarf, but I stop and look up at Jett, waiting with bated breath for his reply.

Jett sits on the floor, dragging a bit of yarn across the rug for Sushi to chase. He doesn’t look up at me. “Yeah. Being poor is just as bad as being a murderer in most parts of Ellender. Worse, actually, because most murderers have enough money to cover up their crimes.”

I purse my lips. “Ellender isn’t the only place where that problem exists.

“Too bad Fox didn’t have more money when he was caught.”

I raise an eyebrow. “He killed someone?”

Nodding, he kicks his feet out, putting his head back against the wall. “He was in the army in Thermia, kind of like what Ashwater does here except that Vernallis never fights any real wars. Thorne’s army is mostly used for keeping order in the villages and guarding the king. Thermia is at the very top of the continent, close to Dyaspora. Their army is constantly fighting with monsters crawling down from the mountains or up out of the ocean.”

“So Fox killed someone while in the army?” I cock my head. “I mean…isn’t that the point? I’m not saying I’m pro-violence or anything but there’s got to be some nuance there.”

Jett shakes his head, and for once, his grin slips. “No, he killed a superior officer. Slaughtered him, as far as I understand.”

Jett doesn’t sound all that broken up about it.

“Why?”

“I guess this officer had raped a woman Fox knew. I’d tell you to ask him about it, but you know how he is.”

I nod. At this point, I know exactly how Fox is.

When he’s on guard duty, sometimes, I amuse myself by trying to say things he’ll feel the need to reply to. Once, I just ask why he’s so quiet. I’m not really expecting an answer, but he says, “Most conversations are just to fill silence. Silence has never really bothered me.”

“That’s so Zen of you. Very Yoda.”

Unsurprisingly, Fox said nothing.

The guys are fine, but my favorite substitute guard is Odessa, who never sits outside and always comes into my room to hang out or takes me on walks to explore the castle. She’s the only one who seems to care if I’m not just physically alive, but also not scratching tally marks in the walls and muttering nonsense to myself from the lack of entertainment or social interaction. She never guards me on her own, and always turns up with either Jett or Fox, but never Kastian.

On one such occasion, Odessa walks down to the breakfast parlor with me while Fox trails silently behind us, providing our scary dog privilege.

I can’t exactly say I love the parlor, but I dislike eating alone in my room more, and there aren’t many options for hangout spots where I can also fill the never-ending void in my stomach.

We walk into the parlor, and of course, my gaze immediately finds Claudette and her sisters sitting in their usual spot by the window. This feels like fucking high school, with established groups at regular tables.

I hated high school, and I like this even less.

Odessa watches me as I raise an unenthusiastic hand to wave at the three identical blondes.

“What’s the deal?” she asks under her breath.

“What do you mean?”

“Do we hate them? I mean, I’ve known the triplets for nearly a century, but if you hate them, I am totally on your side.”

I appreciate the blind loyalty, but I can’t accept the offer. I’m not in high school, I need to be a grownup…even though I really don’t want to.

“We don’t hate them,” I mutter. “I don’t even know the red dress and the yellow dress.”

“Paulette and Laurette,” Odessa supplies.

I raise an eyebrow. “Are you fucking serious? Their names are…actually never mind. It doesn’t matter. I’m not going to be petty.”

Even if they are identical triplets with basically the same damn name. Did their parents hate them or something?

“I’ve never heard of her,” Fox says, startling Odessa and I.

I glance up at him. “Excuse me?”

He shuffles on his feet uncomfortably. “That woman. I’ve never heard her name.”

“So?”

His arctic blue eyes widen, and he blows another frustrated breath out—which I’ve come to understand means that he’s exhausted by having to explain what he thinks should already be obvious.

“I wasn’t in Dyaspora as long as Ashwater. I came forty years ago, but forty years is still a long enough time to hear every story worth telling. I don’t like to share, but I listen. I know all their families’ names, every friend, every relationship. I don’t know of Claudette.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

He raises an eyebrow at me. “I told you. I listen.”

“Uh…okay. Thanks.”

“See!” Odessa says bracingly. “He’s never heard of her. We can absolutely hate her.”

“Oh my God,” I groan, pushing the heels of my hands against my eyes. “No, I really don’t. I’m not sixteen I don’t hate other women for no reason, and I don’t even know her. She didn’t do anything wrong. She’s actually been nice.”

“But…?” Dessa prompts.

“But,” I lean forward and lower my voice, “I don’t know. She just reminds me of a former friend, that’s all. But it’s a me thing. I’m being weird and I need to get over it.”

Odessa looks at me sympathetically. “The friend who slept with your husband?”

I raise an eyebrow. “Did I tell you that? I don’t remember ever explaining?—”

“You didn’t,” she says quickly. “But I’m not an idiot, and you drop a lot of not-so-subtle hints.”

My cheeks heat. “Oh. I didn’t realize.”

This is so goddamn embarrassing. Fox and Dessa clearly think I’m jealous, which means they think there’s something going on with Daemon and I. They’re wrong. Maybe there was something between us at one point, kind of, but not now. Now, it’s just a lot of residual energy with no outlet

And sometimes that energy comes out in the form of heated arguments and intense instinctual kisses.

Yup. That’s it. Makes total sense…

Odessa waves a hand in the air. “It’s fine. At least you had a husband to lose in the first place. I’m still looking for anyone I can stand long enough to lie in bed with for five minutes post-sex.”

Fox looks sideways at her, as if he’s considering her before his gaze flicks away. Odessa doesn’t notice, but it’s all I can do to stop myself from pointing out that someone who doesn’t talk probably wouldn’t be annoying to lie next to.

But then again, she probably needs to be with someone who balances her out. She’s all spontaneous emotions and endless energy. She needs someone calm, and while Fox might seem calm because he’s so quiet, what Jett told me about how the big guy got in prison makes me think there’s some simmering rage under his blank expression.

Yeah, no. They’d be a terrible match. She needs someone more steady.

“Well, don’t look at me,” I say, sighing. “I’m hardly the expert in that area. Maybe you’ll meet someone at the ball.”

She rolls her eyes. “Doubtful. It’s not exactly the most festive environment for a party when everyone knows they might die in two weeks.”

I sit up straighter, alarmed. “Die? I didn’t think they were going to die, just be cursed.”

“It’s kind of the same thing. I mean, you saw what they were all like during the day.” She waves a hand in front of her face. “The lights are on, but no one is home. You know?”

“Honestly, Daemon didn’t seem that different to me. I thought he might be drunk, but not that he was a different person.”

Odessa shakes her head. “That just means you got lucky—or maybe that his gut instinct is somehow in your favor. Trust me, you don’t want to see what it looks like when someone’s instinctive desire is violence.”

I shiver. Yeah, I don’t want to see that. I don’t really have a frame of reference for how it must feel to be cursed, but I keep picturing that old news story about the guy who ate someone’s face while tripping on bath salts. I bet it’s kind of like that.

I put my chin in my hand, sighing. “You know, sometimes I have no idea what I’m doing here.”

“You’re keeping us all out of prison.”

“Yeah, I know that. That’s not what I mean. I mean, what is Isabelle doing here? Everyone who has uttered two words to me doesn’t seem all that confident that I’m going to break the curse, and I don’t blame them. Even if I really was Nana, King Thorne has shown zero interest in me. None. I’m actually starting to wonder if there’s something wrong with me.”

“There’s nothing wrong with you,” she says automatically. “You’re beautiful.”

I look down. “That’s not what I meant, but thanks, I guess. I meant, I’m afraid he knows. But if he does, then why is he stringing us all along?”

She inspects her nails for a long second, then bites off the tip of her pointer finger nail and inspects them again. Finally, she shrugs and looks up at me. “Yeah…I see what you’re saying, but I have no idea what to do about it. There’s not really anything you can do. Maybe Daemon?—”

“I’ve hardly seen Daemon for days. I don’t think he wants to talk to me after what happened the other night.”

Odessa scoffs. “He’s so moody. He’ll get over it, you’ll see.”

“I shouldn’t even be worried about that.” I feel a slight heat rise in my cheeks. “What I should really be worried about is how the king barely talks to me. Even during dinner, he just doesn’t seem interested.”

“Maybe the king will finally show some interest at the ball. You’re going to look stunning. I’ve already picked out a dress for you.”

Instead of making me feel better, this just raises my anxiety higher. “Should I be worried about the ball?”

“Why?”

“I don’t know…it’s a ball. Social anxiety?”

“You don’t need to be anxious. All anyone will care about is how you look.”

“Oh, that’s perfect then,” I say sarcastically. “It definitely helps my anxiety to know everyone is going to actually be staring at me and it’s not in my head.”

“You have nothing to worry about. You could wear an old sack and still be the most exciting thing in the room.”

I purse my lips. “You’re on fire with compliments today, but you don’t need to lie.”

She cocks her head. “I’m not. Look, just think of it like this: humans find Fae to be exceptionally attractive, but that goes both ways. A human queen would be the most beautiful woman in all of Ellender, and a queen is what you’re going to look like at the ball.”

I gape at her. “Seriously? I didn’t know that.”

She nods and glances back at Fox. “Back me up. Tell her how all you guys act like virgins in a brothel the second you see a human.”

Fox’s eyebrows raise and he just stares at her, before giving me a single, curt nod.

“See?” Odessa gushes. “It’s definitely a thing. Sirens like humans too, but not as much as Fae do. I think because you drown so much faster.”

I blanche. Okay, so brushing aside that extremely disturbing comment, can what she’s suggesting be right? It would certainly explain a lot. Does that mean Daemon wasn’t just bored when we met in the bar?

“I guess that makes me feel a little better,” I say. “Good thing, because I didn’t want to spend my birthday feeling self-conscious.”

She looks at me sharply. “Your birthday?”

“Yeah, didn’t I mention that? It’s kind of hard to keep track of the date here but I think tomorrow is my thirtieth birthday. I was thinking of using the ball to celebrate in my head, since it’s the next day and everything.”

“You definitely didn’t tell me that!” Her eyes widen, and she jumps up. “I need to tell the kitchen. I’m sure they’ll want to make you a cake for tomorrow and maybe another one for the ball. Oh Gods, I have so much to do…”

“That’s really not necessary,” I say automatically.

“Yes, it is!” Odessa insists. “In Ellender, we all live so long that you’re not even really considered an adult until your thirties. It’s an important day.”

I open my mouth to protest again. The socially acceptable and polite thing to do is to insist I don’t need or want anything, except…I kind of do. Before I came here, I really wanted just one person to make a big deal out of my birthday and then I felt guilty for even hoping for that. Why shouldn’t I indulge just a little?

“I’ll be right back!” Odessa exclaims, leaving me and Fox sitting alone.

DAEMON

“Congratulations, asshole. You’ve ruined everything!”

I pause, lowering my cards, and glance toward the door. “Hello to you too.”

Odessa sweeps into the room, barely sparing me a glance as she wafts around the edge of the table and drops into the only open seat between Jett and Kastian. She puts her elbows on the table, her long copper hair falling in a sheet over the pile of cards strewn across the wood. She lets out an exasperated breath. “You’ve ruined everything.”

“I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about,” I growl, raising my cards again.

“Alix. Who else would I be talking about? She’s miserable, and now we almost missed her birthday. You spend all day with her, how could you not tell me?”

I scowl, trying to ignore her as I toss my cards down on the table. “I fold.”

I’m sitting in the barracks with the guys playing poker just like we did every night in Dyaspora. It’s been weeks since we’ve been able to play, or even talk openly since I’m always guarding Alix or dealing with other soldiers who are somehow still loyal to Thorne. I’d been glad for a moment to relax, but I’m not relaxed at all since I keep losing.

Jett lets out a whoop of laughter and reaches out to drag the pile of coins at the center of the table toward him. “Another round, another handful of Ashwater’s gold in my pocket.” He leans over Odessa, pretending to whisper to Kas. “I think he likes losing. That’s the only explanation.”

“Fuck off,” I growl without conviction.

“Daemon, are you listening to me?” Dessa demands.

I spare her another glance. “Not really.”

Kastian begins dealing another hand, and Dessa huffs angrily even as she nods over to him to deal her in. “You should care. Alix is wilting. She’ll never make it to the end of the month like this. I’m surprised she hasn’t tried to find her way home already.”

“Did she say something to you?” I ask, forcing myself to remain detached.

“No, but I can tell. She’s bored and lonely.”

I glance at my new hand—a pair of tens—and toss two coins at the center of the table, before answering, “Go, hang out with her then.”

“I have been, but it’s not enough!” she whines.

I close my eyes. Odessa is the sister I never needed or wanted, and right now, I can’t recall exactly why I care about her in the first place.

“What do you expect me to do? I showed her where the parlor is, I brought her into the city to get something to keep her entertained. What else is there? I’m not going to encourage her to socialize more. The less time she spends with anyone who knew the real Isabelle, the better.”

“She can be around us, though. You could be playing cards in her room instead of hiding in here.”

Yeah, no. That’s not going to happen.

The only way to keep myself from ruining everything is by staying as far away from Alix as possible. Since the incident the other day in her room, I’ve been trying to keep my distance. Or, at least, more distance than I got this past week, spending every second, day and night, mere feet away from her.

I’m positive that it’s just the constant proximity that’s making it impossible for me to stop thinking about her. I just need some time away to get my shit together.

For the last few days, I’ve swallowed my inexplicable jealousy and allowed my friends to take shifts guarding Alix instead. And when I do have to be around her, I try not to talk too much. I don’t want to know anything more about her because every new thing I learn is fascinating and makes it harder to think of her as Isabelle.

Nothing has helped yet, but it will. I’m sure of it.

I toss two more coins into the center of the table, raising the bet. “Alix is fine. It’s already been almost two weeks and no one suspects anything. Thorne has dinner with her every night and he still has no idea she isn’t Isabelle. There’s only two weeks left.”

Her eyes widen. “Yeah, two weeks until you’re all cursed forever? That sounds just perfect.”

“Hmmm.”

The truth is that I can’t think about the curse because whenever I do, new plans start forming in my head.

If I went back to the human realm permanently, I wouldn’t be cursed. Of course, I could never see my friends or family again, and I’d be leaving the entire kingdom to its own destruction, but that would happen anyway. And, if Alix is going back to the human realm…maybe it wouldn’t be so bad?

I shake my head roughly. These are the sorts of thoughts I can’t allow myself to have.

There’s still a chance Thorne could love Alix—even if he thinks she’s Isabelle, maybe it won’t matter. Maybe somehow everything will work out for everyone.

Everyone except me.

“You’re the one who brought Alix here and promised to take care of her,” Odessa continues. “You have to do something.”

“I promised to keep her safe, not to keep her happy.”

“If you ask me, happy and safe are the same thing,” Kastian says, offhandedly.

“No one asked you,” Odessa snaps. “But yes, she’s not really safe if she’s unhappy.”

I groan loudly. Despite my protest, a pang of guilt and worry shoots through me. I know Dessa has a point. It’s my fault that Alix is here at all, and even without Thorne’s order, that would make her my responsibility.

“Wait,” I ask Odessa, suddenly thinking of something. “What are you doing here?”

She gives me an odd look. “Well, you see, I came here as a child and?—”

“Oh, shut up,” I snap, a bit more aggressively than I intended. “I meant if you’re here, who’s watching Alix?”

“Fox,” she replies airily. “But even if he wasn’t, she’s a nearly thirty-year-old woman, she can take care of herself for half an hour.”

“Yeah, that’s what I’m fucking afraid of,” I hiss angrily, scooting my chair back from the table and tossing my cards down. “I fold. I need to go find Alix.”

Jett reaches over and flips my cards over, a grin passing across his face. “Aww, tough luck, mate. The one time you have decent cards, and I’m still going to take your money.”

I roll my eyes as I stride toward the door. “And you’ll spend it buying us all drinks, so it’s really more charity on my part than anything.”

“Wait, weren’t you listening to me?” Odessa jumps up. “Fox is with her.”

I heard her, but I still yank the door open angrily and march down the hall.

I’m being irrational, I know.

As long as I don’t think about Alix being alone with my friends, there are no problems, but as soon as I remember, I find myself storming back upstairs or pacing the barracks, unable to calm down until I’m near her again.

These are my men, and I’m the one who keeps asking them to guard Alix for me. I don’t have a problem with Fox guarding Alix or doubt that he could protect her.

Still, I feel an overwhelming compulsion to get her because she’s mine.

I don’t understand it.

Being jealous is not only insane, I don’t know where it’s coming from. But when it comes to that woman, I can’t think straight. I feel like an addict; I have to abstain completely from thinking about her or I’ll overdose on memories of the taste of her.

“Wait!”

I stop when a shout echoes down the hallway and I turn to find Odessa hurrying after me. I run a hand through my hair. “What?”

“Do you realize that tomorrow is her birthday?”

“So?”

“So we should do something. She mentioned celebrating at the ball, but I’m not so sure that’s a good idea because then Thorne might start to wonder about her age.”

I groan internally. That’s not a bad point, and I hate that I agree. “What are you suggesting?”

Dessa’s violet eyes flash with satisfaction, and I know she thinks she’s already won.

“We’ll take her down to the village tavern.”

I shake my head. “Too dangerous. Anyone could recognize her, and if she’s drinking, she could forget?—”

“Okay fine,” Dessa cuts me off. “What if we take her to the Ashwater Estate?”

That’s not the worst idea. I’ve been meaning to go there anyway, but I can’t because I’m always watching Alix. But if I brought her with me…

I pull a pocket watch out of my trousers and glance at it. “There’s no time. She has to eat with Thorne in less than an hour.”

“Tomorrow, then,” Dessa insists. “That’s better anyway because it’s her actual birthday.”

I grimace, sure I’ll regret this immediately. “Fine.”

Dessa squeals in excitement and gives me a quick hug which I don’t return.

“Thank you! I promise everything will be perfect.”

I highly fucking doubt that, but it’s too late. It looks like Alix is getting a birthday party, and I’m getting yet another fucking opportunity to pretend I’m not growing obsessed with her.

“What did you do today?” Alix asks.

Thorne looks at her from across the table. “Nothing you would understand,” he replies dismissively.

“Try me.”

He puts his fork down and smiles at her. Well, the corners of his mouth turn up at the very least, but it’s more of a sneer than a smile.

I resist the urge to bash my skull against the wall behind me.

These dinners would be boring enough if I was actually allowed to be a part of them, but standing against the wall watching it unfold is nothing short of torture.

Which, of course, is why Thorne is making me do it.

I’d been suspicious of how easily he accepted my return. Sure, he’d promised to do so, and I’d expected that he would, but I thought I’d have to work harder for it. Thorne likes to remind everyone around him that he’s the one with the power, especially me. It was diabolical, really. He reinstated my position and power, but immediately ordered me to watch Alix so that I can’t use any of it.

The only mistake he made is that he thinks I hate guarding Alix.

Which I do…kind of. Not really.

Fuck me.

“I’ve been preparing for the rose moon celebration,” Thorne tells Alix.

“Is that a lot of work?”

“It shouldn’t be, yet the incompetence of the court continues to astound me.”

“What exactly is a rose moon?” she asks.

“It’s a lunar event that happens every twelve years. The sun is blocked for an entire twenty-four hours and total darkness falls upon the land.”

“That must be convenient, what with…everything.” She shrugs awkwardly, clearly not sure if he’ll be offended by her mentioning the curse.

He nods. “Exactly. There have been many rose moons in the last century, but only one that falls on the final day of the curse.”

She leans forward curiously. “Does that mean something?”

“That is what I have been attempting to discover. With only one final chance to end my suffering, I want to ensure everything goes smoothly.”

She frowns, looking worried. I curl my fingers into a fist, spread them out again, and repeat.

Thorne is being nice to Alix—or at least as nice as I’ve ever seen him. It seems like he wants her—or Isabelle, rather—to see him as kinder and gentler than he really is. That might be a good thing, except I fucking know better. He hasn’t changed; his acting has simply improved.

Not that I should care. Fuck, if Alix does fall for this, then all the better, right? I should want nothing more than for her to somehow fall in love with him and break the curse.

I make a fist again and this time I don’t let it go.

“I have wanted to ask you something as well,” Thorne says.

Alix swallows a sip of her wine. “Yes?”

“Why have you stopped reading?”

Shit.

Alix freezes and glances seemingly unconsciously over at me. Her eyes dart to mine and I’m positive that Thorne notices from the way his posture goes rigid.

“Stopped reading?” Alix says, clearly hoping he’ll elaborate.

“Yes. You used to bring books to the table every evening, but you have not done so since you’ve returned. Why?”

“Oh, well, I suppose I just haven’t felt like it…”

I suddenly remember that Alix asked about books earlier this week. I’d completely forgotten that I was going to take her to the library, since she’s barely been out of her room since. Fuck, could I have avoided this if I’d remembered?

Seeming to realize that her excuse wasn’t very believable, Alix glances at me for a second time. I don’t think she realizes she’s doing it, but this time I’m sure Thorne sees her.

“It’s my fault,” I blurt out, no idea what I’m going to say next.

Thorne’s eyes narrow at me. “Your fault? Explain.”

Shit. Fuck. Cocksucking mother… “I don’t like Isabelle to wander, it makes my job so much more tedious.”

His expression turns dangerous. “Do you really think your comfort matters?”

“Always.” I flash him a grin, knowing it will annoy him, perhaps enough to forget what he was suspicious about.

Thorne scowls and picks up his fork again, resuming his dinner. “Take her to the library from now on.”

I nearly laugh with relief. “Of course. Whatever you say.”

To my enormous relief and surprise, the rest of the dinner is uneventful. Alix seems bored, and Thorn, annoyed, but at least the suspicious look has disappeared from his gaze.

When Alix is finished with her dessert, I finally push off the wall and walk over to stand beside her chair. She stands, says goodnight to Thorne, and I walk stiffly beside her to the door.

“Ashwater,” Thorne calls after me. “One moment.”

I turn to Alix beside me. “Just wait outside for a moment.”

She shrugs and leaves the dining room, closing the door behind her. I turn around and give my brother a bored look. “Thorne. What can I do for you?”

My brother grimaces, but doesn’t say anything.

He calls me by my last name for nearly the same reason that I use his first—he wants a constant reminder that while we’re related, I’m never going to be in line for the throne, and I like to remind him that no matter what he does, he’ll never be able to escape my existence. I’m sure that the reason he never corrects me for using his name is because he doesn’t want to draw attention to the issue. That’s also almost certainly why he didn’t want me killed all those years ago—because my execution would legitimize the threat I pose to him and his court.

All of that baggage hangs in the air between us as he approaches.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” he asks.

“What do you mean?”

“Are you enjoying being back at court?”

I have to refrain from a sneering retort, reminding myself that he thinks I’ve grown more loyal to him since leaving Dyaspora. Still, I can’t manage to sound enthusiastic. I shrug. “There’s nearly as much snow here as Dyaspora, but at least the food is better.”

He looks annoyed but doesn’t push it. “I wanted to ask you about Isabelle.”

My ears prick up. “What about her?”

“Has she seemed strange to you since she returned?”

My heartbeat speeds up. What does he mean? Did Foulo finally crawl out of the hole he slunk off to and tell Thorne of his suspicions?

“Strange how? I didn’t know her before, so I have nothing to compare with.”

His brow furrows in a scowl and he glances over his shoulder, clearly looking for Alix. “Has she seemed afraid?”

“Afraid?” I draw back with genuine surprise. “No.”

He makes a sound somewhere between a growl and a hum.

“Why?” I ask, hoping my eagerness for his answer doesn’t show in my voice.

“I’m concerned she might have seen something she shouldn’t have before she left all those years ago. She hasn’t been exploring when you’ve been watching her?”

I shake my head. “She hardly leaves her room.”

“Good,” he says, sounding distracted. “There’s another thing. I need to get her a wedding gift, something that could be presented at the ball in front of the court. Can you think of anything she would like?”

“I really don’t know her as well as you do.”

“How is that possible when you’re with her all the time?”

I narrow my eyes in confusion. He is talking about Isabelle, right? The woman he wanted returned to him after decades apart? The woman he got an enchanted necklace for to keep her immortal? The woman he freed me to go find? How the fuck can he not know what to get her as a gift? Unless he knows there’s something different about her.

“You must know something,” he says, exasperated.

“A violin,” I blurt out.

He narrows his eyes at me. “Does she play?”

Oh fuck.

“She mentioned taking up playing in the last few years,” I lie. “I don’t know if she has any talent.”

He frowns, still looking suspicious. “Alright then.”

I remember Alix commenting that Thorne didn’t seem interested in her, and at the time, I wasn’t able to process anything she was saying beyond the irrational rage at the idea of her potentially wanting to fuck my brother. Now, I see what she meant. He’s blatantly not interested in her—it’s clear from the way he doesn’t want to be around her, and doesn’t even seem to be aware of her presence. I can barely stop myself from watching her long enough to have this conversation, but Thorne is very clearly not suffering from the same obsession.

But does that mean there’s something wrong with him?

Or is there something wrong with me?