Page 16

CHAPTER 16

Sage

The High Priestess stood and motioned for Sir West to approach her on the dais.

He rose and climbed the dozen steps to momentarily tower above the High Priestess on her throne before kneeling at her feet.

“Sir West.” She placed a hand on his head and a white light burst to life where she touched him. “You’re a knight of rising esteem. I command you to escort and protect the Lady Sage in the Garden until she has bound all her mates to her soul.”

A gasp rippled through the courtiers and my pulse lurched.

Until I bound all my mates? But that meant?—

The High Priestess wasn’t just ordering Sir West to protect me until all of my attackers were apprehended. She was ordering him to protect me until I was fully mated.

Except Zinnia had put my mating marks to sleep, marks that she said might never wake up, and I was human. Human! I didn’t actually have mating marks. I wasn’t ever going to be mated to anyone!

Really!

And if I never figured out how to stop waking in the Garden, Sir West would be at my side forever.

The light radiating from the High Priestess’s hand flared blindingly bright. Black spots danced in my vision, and something hot, like a blast of fire, snapped in my chest.

I gasped, my hand flying to my heart.

What the?—?

Had my mating marks reawakened?

Please no.

“I’ve spirit linked you with Lady Sage,” the High Priestess announced, sending more whispers and gasps rushing through the crowd. “You’ll know whenever she’s in the Garden and exactly where she is.”

Cold flashed through me, a shocking contrast to the heat from the spirit link.

This couldn’t be happening.

How could I hide who I was with this monster constantly at my side?

Was I even safe with him?

The High Priestess flicked her fingers and a short servant scurried forward and dropped to his knees at the foot of the stairs.

“Arrange a shared room for the lady and her knight,” the High Priestess said, “as well as a spirit anchor.”

Father, I didn’t like the sound of that. Was a spirit anchor like the horrible bracelet currently keeping me trapped in the Garden?

And a shared room!

I didn’t know how shared the room would be, but the idea terrified me more than just wandering around the Garden with Sir West constantly at my side.

With a room, Sir West could do anything he wanted to me and no one would be there to stop him.

The High Priestess sank back onto her throne. “Your ward, Sir West.”

The monster stood, towering over me on the dais, and turned to face me, his expression just as grim as before, possibly even grimmer.

I shrank back, unable to stop myself from curling inward, trying to get as small as possible. It didn’t matter that I wasn’t supposed to look like prey in front of the High Priestess’s court. Everything within me screamed Sir West was dangerous.

“Stand, child,” the High Priestess snapped, her firm mask cracking.

The show was done and she wanted to get rid of me.

I staggered to my feet, clutching my blanket as if that would protect me against the monster I’d just been spirit linked to.

The High Priestess’s lips curled into a sharp smile. “Please attend my court while we resolve your safety, Lady Sage. You have a bright spark and should make advantageous matches among my nobility.”

I bobbed my head, knowing I wouldn’t be able to raise my voice beyond a whisper.

I wanted to be strong— needed to be strong, but every time I steadied myself something else happened and it had all become too much before I’d even entered the Garden that night.

“Has your spark awakened? Do you know your magic?” The sharpness in her smile flashed in her eyes. Except I couldn’t tell if she was playing with me because she knew I was human, or if she were just a cat and liked to play with her food before lunging in for the kill.

My gaze darted at the crowd around me. The hungry stares had intensified and their silence crushed me as they waited for my answer.

No, she wasn’t a cat. She was a puppet spider. She toyed with her food for entertainment and to draw the attention of more prey before making the kill.

“Your Brilliance,” Lord Quill said.

“Yes, Captain Quill,” she replied with a strange emphasis on captain.

“With your permission, I’ll escort Lady Sage to her chambers.”

The High Priestess leveled her colorless stare at Lord Quill.

My pulse pounded and I prayed she’d say yes. I wasn’t sure I trusted Lord Quill, but I certainly didn’t trust Sir West.

“To her chambers tonight,” she said, the message clear: don’t get distracted and forget your duty to the Black Guard.

She waved her hand dismissively, and Sir West took that as his cue to stomp down the stairs and stop in front of me. I had to strain my neck to look up at him.

Father, he was big.

I was a child compared to him.

“My lady.” Sir West gestured to the servant who stood impatiently at the edge of the stairs.

“I’ll be along shortly,” Zinnia whispered, squeezing my arm gently.

Right. Even if Lord Quill had to leave, Zinnia had been ordered to monitor my supposed amnesia. Still?—

I glanced back at Ash. Now, more than ever, I wanted him with me.

Please.

But his gaze never jumped to mine, and I was afraid to speak up and ask for what I wanted. I didn’t want to be rejected in front of all the hungry men and judging women, let alone the ruler of the fae people.

Please.

I didn’t want to be trapped with that dour monster.

“You’re dismissed, Lady Sage,” the High Priestess snapped, making me flinch.

Pull yourself together!

Lord Quill offered me his arm and I took it to help steady myself. That zing I always felt when we touched snapped through me, stealing my breath, and my gaze locked with his for a heart-stalling moment. He was so beautiful, so kind… so obedient to Lord Rider.

“I’ll stay on top of the investigation,” Rider said, his voice low, as I wrenched my attention away from Lord Quill. “Talon, wait for the magister who can get that bracelet off her.”

“I’ll send a servant to let you know what room she’s in,” Quill added, before leading me toward the impatient servant who stood at the door waiting to leave the throne room.

Sir West fell into step behind us, but there was no way I could pretend he wasn’t there. His dark intensity rolled off him in palpable waves, reminding me that my spirit was linked to his for as long as I remained unmated.