Page 40 of Kingdom of Tomorrow (Book of Arden #1)

“I can tell you many things, but not that,” he said, dancing his gaze over the table, taking in the results of my feast. A corner of his mouth quirked. “You ate my food.”

“I told you I would.” I ignored the flutter in my stomach. “You mentioned a negotiation.”

He fixed his attention on me and crossed his arms over his chest, flexing well-defined biceps.

A definite power play. “Each night, you’ll turn in a report listing any oddities in my behavior.

There will be none, of course. While we’re in Theirland, you’ll stay in these quarters with me.

You are welcome to sleep in my room, without chains.

That’s my preference. There’s a second room if you’d rather be alone.

When we return to Ourland, you’ll fulfill your training duties but spend all free time with me. That includes meals.”

“Will I spend the night with you there too?”

“Only rarely. I live off base. I’ll wear a monitor.”

Okay, so, that did sound kind of wonderful. Free weekend room and board, zero chains. But. “You can wear a monitor all the time. You don’t need me.”

“I don’t want to wear a monitor ever . No one wants others to know where they are and what they are doing at all times.”

Yeah, that tracked. “The whole idea is thready at best. You yourself have admitted I don’t know you that well. I’m not qualified to recognize an oddity in your behavior.”

“You might not know me well, yet, but you do know plants.”

Seriously, he had an answer for everything. “You’re setting me up for jealousy and trouble with the other trainees. No one will be comfortable around High Prince Dolion’s babysitter.”

“You aren’t wrong, but there’s no other way to do this. No other reason to key you into certain locations you can’t and shouldn’t access otherwise.”

To be honest, I could endure any amount of animosity for answers. “Since this is supposed to be practice for real dating, I should probably call you bunny baby boo . Or sugar bear . Honey buns .”

“I’ll let you render the final verdict, but I’m partial to sugar bear .”

He actually uttered those words with a straight face.

“Don’t tempt me, Cyrus. I might do it.”

“Tempting you is the whole point of this, Arden.” He reached out, slow but steady, giving me plenty of time to protest. My breath hitched as he smoothed a lock of hair behind my ear. “After tomorrow’s patrol, I’d like you to speak with John Victors. He asked to see you.”

That ... no. It made no sense. “Why me?”

“A question you can pose to him. And no, I’m not offering you this assignment to wring intelligence from him. I think you should meet him. To judge him worthy or unworthy of your allegiance.”

Me, interrogate John Victors. A glower. Leader of the most violent gang of Soalians, who requested my presence and hoped to recruit me. “Okay, I’ll speak to him with or without our bargain.”

“Speaking of,” Cyrus said, “you won’t mention what we’re doing to anyone, and you’ll only talk of it with me when we’re alone in my private quarters.”

“As if I would ever tattle.” Which meant what? I’d accepted his offer, and we were officially roomies this weekend?

Dazed, I looked here, there, imagining myself puttering around.

Enjoying a bedroom rather than a cell. Hanging potted plants, even growing a whole garden and experimenting with the different soils and seeds.

Leaving a pair of socks on the floor. Getting to know the enigmatic, hauntingly beautiful Cyrus better.

Fulfilling my obligation to Shiloh. Perhaps winning top soldier for completing a special mission.

My heart lurched. “I listened to your terms, now hear mine. Move my mother to Bala City.”

He huffed with frustration. “That isn’t something you want me to do. She won’t be safe there.”

He’d claimed something similar before. “Tell me why.”

“There are fewer breaks of Madness, but there’s far more crime.”

“I witnessed no crime while there,” I pointed out.

“Doesn’t mean it wasn’t taking place.”

Now I was the one to huff. But I would let this issue rest. For now.

“I want Shiloh’s files, nothing redacted.

Medical, disciplinary reports, research papers.

Everything.” Maybe he received shots like the other soldiers who’d broken.

Maybe the documents would be altered in some way, maybe not. There was only one way to find out.

“Done. Next.”

Under the table, I twisted my fingers into the napkin. “You can’t go easy on me during class.” My determination to improve had only amplified.

The look he gave me said baby, please. “Pink, slacking off will never be on the table. I’ll train you harder than I’ve ever trained anyone. Next.”

Was I truly bargaining with Cyrus Dolion in order to spy on Cured ? “Once a week, you gotta give sandwiches to the entire team, including Mykal.” My way of apologizing for unbalancing the scales.

“Done. Next.”

“I want to know who lives in the castle and hear about your experiences with Soal.”

The satisfaction glinted anew. “When I trust you, I’ll share.”

“Fair enough,” I grumbled.

“Anything else?”

Though I racked my brain, I came up empty. “Not currently.”

“Then the deal is set.” He extended his hand in my direction.

Yes. No. Yes. I nibbled on my bottom lip.

His hand remained steady. “If you can trust nothing else, trust that I have your best interests at heart.”

That wasn’t possible. But for better or worse, I reached out and slid my palm against his to shake. For Shiloh, my mom, Mykal, and everyone who deserved the truth. “The deal is set.”

While Cyrus made calls from an immaculate office, I searched the rest of the apartment. Shiloh’s claim that Cured lied about Theirland remained a whisper in my ear. But what, exactly, was the supposed falsehood? What Cured did here? Kept here? The origins? What!

Unfortunately, I found no personal items, papers, files, or hidden chips. No classified history books.

In the smaller of the two bedrooms, I came upon a full suite of golden body armor. Every accessory imaginable was scattered over a pair of nightstands, a dresser, and a bed. Weapons, audible and visual transmitters, and a plethora of small gadgets I couldn’t identify.

The kitchen was stocked with fresh fruit juices and an array of goodies.

Such variety. Sweet desserts and savory sandwiches.

Clotted creams and rich jams. Like any good babysitter, I deposited a beverage and a snack on Cyrus’s desk whenever I took a break and prepared something for myself.

Which happened often, allowing me to unabashedly listen to his calls.

Not that I learned much there either. Well, other than that calls could be made between Ourland and Theirland.

Cyrus paused each time I supplied him with sustenance, giving me an odd look, as if stupefied by the gesture.

He was arguing with someone when I set a plate of cookies at the edge of his desk. I paused to listen, going still for the first time since forever, it seemed, and fatigue got the better of me.

“I’m asking you to move her to a safer area and put her in a safer apartment,” he snapped. “Not construct a new building in a day.”

I stood in the doorway of his office, my chest constricting. He was working to protect my mother. Probably a means of indebting me to him but also the kindest thing anyone had ever done for me.

Catching his eye, I smiled softly and mouthed, “Good night, sugar bear.”

“Hang on.” He pressed a button and set the phone aside. “You have everything you need?”

“I do.”

“Good. By the way, I like the nickname even more than expected.”

“Way to ruin it for me,” I muttered with mock affront. As I marched off, his laughter followed, enchanting me. Dang it!

I locked myself in the bigger room after confiscating a netter from his, then set the personal alarm via a keypad on the wall. Maybe I’d get some rest tonight. Maybe Mykal would, too, considering she had the cell to herself and wouldn’t need a chain. Hopefully she hadn’t forgotten to water my seed.

Sighing, I cocooned myself in what must be the largest, softest bed in the world ... where I tossed and turned, my mind unwilling to settle. The rules of my investigation had changed. I now had Cyrus to contend with, and he may or may not be setting me up, so I needed a new game plan.

Arden Dawn Roosa.

The soft, whispered voice registered, and I blinked, frowned. “Cyrus?” I jerked upright to look around and found no sign of his presence. He hadn’t bypassed my locked door.

Heart thumping against my ribs, I rasped, “Hello?”

Arden Dawn Roosa.

Realization. The voice hadn’t wafted into my ears but had sprung up inside my head. Exactly what had happened the first time I’d met Ember.

I swiped up the netter, jumped to my feet—and found myself standing in front of the Rock. But this ... I ... I stood in my new room, seemingly in two places at once. Exactly what Shiloh had said he’d experienced.

Palms sweating, I looked left, right. This couldn’t be real.

Must be imagined. A dream. This section of the Rock wasn’t located in an area I recognized.

A lovely desert oasis teemed with lush trees and foliage, beautiful flowers, and colorful fruit.

Birds perched on the branches. Butterflies and bees, insects I’d only dreamed of seeing in real life, flew from petal to petal.

Awed, I reached out and traced my fingertips over a cluster of ripe purple berries. Cool to the touch. Soft.

Along the Rock, the lines inside the circles drew together, repositioning.

I glided forward without thought, my feet moving of their own accord.

Upon perfect alignment, the circles eased into a slow rotation.

Spinning. Faster and faster with each completion until flames sparked with the seven colors of the rainbow.

Smoke rose, blurring the stone until the wall appeared to be as insubstantial as mist.

The bearded man in the red robe materialized. He wasn’t glaring this time, but he wasn’t smiling, either, as he motioned me inside.