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CHAPTER FIVE

KAZ

T he receptionist’s smile never wavered, but her eyes had gone flat and suspicious. “I’m sorry, sir. I can’t give you that information.”

“Of course not,” I said, trying to keep the edge from my voice. “I understand. Thank you for your time.”

I pushed through the front door of the bed-and-breakfast and stepped back onto the porch.

The cool evening air washed over my heated skin as my eyes immediately trained on Talia as if it were the most natural urge in the world.

She laughed at something Griffin said, the sound carrying from across the street.

Her hand rested briefly on his forearm, and hot, ugly jealousy twisted in my gut.

She’s your mate , a voice inside me insisted. Claimed and marked .

I had no right to her or her affections.

She’d been forced into this just as much as I had.

Just because we’d slept together and she seemed eager to do so again didn’t mean she trusted me.

Hell, it didn’t even mean she liked me. How did one even bring up fate in such a situation?

Sorry for your troubles, love, but we were destined to suffer to get here?

I crossed the street and cleared my throat as I approached. Talia’s eyes flicked to me, her smile dimming slightly. That shouldn’t have stung, but it did.

“No luck,” I announced, not bothering to hide my irritation. “Receptionist says they’re not answering calls to the room. And she wasn’t forthcoming about when Leona might return.”

Talia tapped one manicured nail against her lips, considering. “So, what now?”

“We look for ourselves, check back in a few hours if we haven’t found them,” I said, already turning toward the main street. “How many places can they be in a town this size?”

We fell into step together, Griffin trailing a few paces behind.

The small town just north of the Falls bustled with early evening activity.

Narrow streets were lined with quaint shops and cafes catering to tourists.

Couples strolled hand in hand, families headed to dinner, street performers set up for the night crowd.

Perfect for a romantic getaway. Perfect for getting lost in plain sight.

I flicked a glance at Griffin, noting how his eyes never stopped moving, cataloging threats, exits, opportunities.

I could, under certain interrogation techniques, possibly admit the male knew his business.

Talia still lived, didn’t she? He’d almost undoubtedly thwarted an attempt or two on her life, maybe even from Javed himself.

Still, the sight of her smiling up at him left a bitter taste in my mouth.

I brushed a shoulder against Talia’s as I leaned closer and murmured, “Do you ever get a minute without the babysitter?”

She gave me an amused side-eye. “He’s very discreet.”

My jaw clenched. Was that supposed to reassure me? Because it didn’t. In fact, it reminded me how little I actually knew about my mate. What other males had she brought to her bed before me? A princess had no doubt had countless suitors. Maybe Griffin was among them.

“Discreet doesn’t mean invisible,” I muttered, glancing back at Griffin’s stoic form. “Does he watch while you bathe too?”

Talia’s laugh was bright and loud and real . “He’s my bodyguard, Kaz. One of the few people I trust completely.”

The word ‘trust’ hung between us like smoke. I let it linger, turning my attention to a storefront window as we passed. My reflection stared back—tense jaw, eyes scanning for threats even when there were none. Old habits.

“Trust,” I repeated finally. “And how many make that exclusive list?”

“Griffin. A handful of others.” Her golden eyes met mine, still laughing. “Perhaps you, eventually.”

“Eventually.” The word tasted both bitter and sweet on my tongue.

Eventually meant not now. Someday, maybe, but not now.

It meant waiting, proving myself worthy of something I was so sure I hadn’t wanted in the first place.

But that eventually settled deep in my chest and stuck to my ribs in a way I’d rather not examine too closely.

Not now. Not yet.

Eventually, perhaps.

I watched her as we walked, the graceful way she moved, the careful mask she wore even now.

We’d been bound by magic and politics, forced together by powers beyond our control.

Still, there was something else growing here.

Something that made my blood heat when she laughed, something that made me want to strip away every layer of pretense until I found the real woman underneath all that royal polish.

“What will you do with the throne when it’s yours?” she asked, her voice light but her eyes sharp as blades. “What kind of king will Kaz Kadhan be?”

I snorted. “I’m of half a mind to burn the palace to the ground and tell the courtiers and hangers-on to go home. ‘Thanks for your service, the monarchy is over, time to find real jobs.’“

Talia stopped dead in her tracks and stared at me as if I’d suggested we strip naked to dance in the Falls. “You can’t do that.”

“Why not?” I kept walking, forcing her to catch up. “The whole system is rotten. Your father rules through fear and manipulation. The courtiers spend their days plotting against each other instead of doing anything useful. What’s the point of preserving any of it?”

“Those alliances through births and marriages will all still exist.” Frustration bled into her words.

“Those cliques and plots will keep marching on until someone decides they could be the new head cock on the block. There will be taking, then, and blood.” Her eyes flashed.

“They will do no such thing as quietly go home.”

I crossed my arms, studying her. I’d spent my life avoiding court politics, keeping my clan safely removed from the machinations that had nearly destroyed us. But she’d lived it, breathed it, survived it.

“What would you have me do, then?” I asked.

“Be king,” she said simply. “Rule.”

“That’s your solution? Just... rule?”

“Yes.” She stepped closer, her voice dropping.

“If you dissolve the crown, what then? What happens when the power vacuum forms and the strongest clans start carving up territory? What happens when the humans catch on that we can steal and murder right under their noses before vanishing in a cloud of smoke?”

I opened my mouth to offer a defense, but it felt weak even in my own mind. “The clans have kept to themselves for centuries?—”

“Have you seen any frost giants in those centuries?” she cut in.

The question stopped me cold. Frost giants had once ruled in the tallest, deepest mountain ranges. Powerful, ancient beings who had seen humans as little more than food. They’d preyed on villages, stealing people and livestock, leaving devastation in their wake.

Until the humans had organized. Hunted them. Slaughtered them to the last infant.

The stories were still told, though the humans thought them mere fables—Jack and the Beanstalk, the giant grinding bones to make his bread. But we knew the truth. We remembered the histories from when the humans thought monsters were just nightmares, and the dangers once they knew we were real.

She’s right , I admitted silently. Any change I wanted wouldn’t happen overnight, no matter how hard I pouted or tantrumed. The royal court was a beast with many heads; cut one problem off, and two more would grow in its place.

“My apologies, Your Highness,” I said, offering a mocking half-bow. “I didn’t realize I’d mated the voice of reason.”

“There’s a great deal you don’t realize about me.

” She let off a pleased hum as she tilted her head in teasing acknowledgment.

But the keen look never left her eyes, and she continued, “You already know about leadership and responsibility. The rest is just...” She waved a hand dismissively. “Window dressing.”

Griffin cleared his throat, startling us both. I’d almost forgotten he was there.

“Your Highnesses,” he said, his eyes darting to Talia, then me, then back to Talia. “I believe I’ve spotted Leona and a human entering that bookstore across the street.”

I straightened. “Are they alone?”

“Yes,” Griffin confirmed, still looking primarily at Talia as if unsure who was in charge. “They appear to be... on a date.”

“Or under control,” I said, my voice strained as unwelcome memories washed over me. Javed’s magic seeped into my mind, forcing my body to move against my will, my hands reaching for Zral’s throat?—

A soft touch at the base of my tail pulled me back to the present. Talia pressed a palm against my back in a hesitant, comforting gesture, even as her voice remained hard.

“If the boy is human, he couldn’t possibly use the relics,” she pointed out. “No human has that kind of power over our kind.”

I took a breath, steadying myself. Of all people, she would understand. She’d survived years under Javed’s thumb. She must have learned to navigate his cruelty to keep her sanity intact. Our scars might not show on our skin, but they ran just as deep.

I gave her a slight nod, gratitude I couldn’t voice aloud. Her fingers lingered a moment longer before falling away. The small kindness hit harder than it should have.

We crossed the street and entered the bookshop, a small bell announcing our arrival. The interior was cramped but cozy, with shelves reaching to the ceiling and the smell of paper and binding glue hanging in the air.

It took only moments to spot Leona and her companion among the stacks.

Leona stood with her back to us, leaning against a human male as they examined a book together.

His arm was wrapped around her waist, his chin resting on her shoulder.

They were laughing softly, completely absorbed in each other.

I exchanged a glance with Talia. There was no mistaking the happiness radiating from the couple. This was no kidnapping or coercion. This was an escape.

Before I could move, Talia stepped forward. “Leona.”