Page 2

One

Rhoswyn

M y eyelids are heavy, my vision blurry with sleep, so the first warning I have is his breath caressing my cheek before his fingers leave my hair and trace over my jaw. Even then, I don’t quite process what he’s doing until he tilts my head and claims my mouth in a rough, desperate kiss.

My confusion evaporates as our lips make contact. I have no idea why he’s apologising, but I don’t care. Everything in me relaxes as the buzz of touching my Guard stirs beneath my skin.

Our first kiss…

If this is a dream, I don’t want it to end. I try to deepen the contact, but he draws away. His warm lips are replaced with the chill of glass, and I barely have time to frown before liquid rushes into my mouth. I choke and gag, but his hand is there, pinching my nose and clamping my jaw shut. Forcing me to swallow.

My eyes finally fly open, my vision filled with tormented turquoise. The butterflies dancing in my stomach sink like rocks, replaced with a sick sense of betrayal. What did he give me? Poison? Something worse? It fizzes sweetly on my tongue, but that tells me nothing.

I flail against his hold, scrambling to put distance between us. He allows it, and resignation colours his expression, turning his eyes flat and dull as he watches me struggle in vain. Whatever he just forced me to drink is fast acting. My limbs are leaden, and I collapse before I can reach the other side of the bed.

I should scream, but all that escapes is a thin, heartbroken noise as I catch sight of the glittering dregs in the empty bottle in his fist. It takes an unreasonable amount of time for my foggy mind to recognise the remains of Kitarni’s sleeping draught. She left it outside for Bree. All Caed needed to do was pick it up.

Goddess, we made it so easy for him. We trusted him.

My head is too heavy to hold up, and I flop, defeated, against the cushions.

Why would he do this? There’s no taunting triumph in his expression. He almost looks… broken.

“Drystan will kill you,” I slur, raging against the lethargy, to no avail.

“Good,” Caed murmurs, as my eyes flutter closed. “I deserve it.”

His cold hands slip beneath me, his touch gentle, despite everything. An outraged hiss echoes around the icy room.

And then I know no more.