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I tried flailing my legs—kicking and scratching at his chest and hands—but he didn’t let up. My head felt light, my body limp.
If I could only get him off.
The rest of my vision faded fast, my heart slowing to an unnatural rhythm when Talon appeared behind Aeron, whose blue eyes were lit with feral rage. I reached for him, but his focus locked on Aeron, seizing him by the back of his collar.
My eyes fluttered closed, and when they opened, he’d been thrown off me and to the ground.
“You so much as lay another finger on her outside the arena walls and I’ll end you, do you understand?” Talon stepped on his throat to keep him obedient.
I slid down the wall and sucked in a breath. Aeron struggled to catch his, flailing under Talon’s weight.
“I know I didn’t fucking stutter the last time.”
Aeron smiled wickedly as Talon pressed down, his neck crunching under his foot, and I stilled, nervous about what was coming next. Seconds passed before he finally nodded in agreement. His face had become a pale blue as he curled into a ball on his side.
I dropped my head back, my pulse beating out of my ears.
Talon extended his arm, and I reached for his hand. “Are you okay?” He helped me up to examine my throat.
I nodded, stretching my neck. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. Let’s just…” I pointed to the doors.
Talon released me and stepped over Aeron, opening the doors for me to pass through.
“What were you doing over here?” The concern in his voice was subtle, but it was hard to miss.
And it made my chest warm.
“I needed to clear my head and thought maybe taking a stroll through the gardens would help.” My voice sounded raspy as I rubbed my throat.
He arched a brow at me.
“I wasn’t trying to run away again.” I held up my hands. “It’s… I don’t know. Everything feelsheavy.”
“You need to talk about it, Elowyn. Killing someone—regardless of how well deserved it may have been—is traumatic. You can’t keep pretending it didn’t happen.” His hand rested on the hilt of the dagger at his hip.
“It’s not about that. I’m talking about us—or whatever this is.” I fingered the end of my braid, keeping my eyes on the ground. “It needs to stop.”
A beat of silence passed.
We continued along the cobblestone path, passing the tall golden shrubs toward the conservatory. The sun glowed in the sky above, the golden landscape around us basking in its rays. For such a cruel and barbaric realm, it sure was beautiful. From the moment I stepped foot into Faerway and laid eyes on that picturesque field of flowers, it had me transfixed. Something inside me had clicked into place.
Talon stopped walking. “I agree.” The distance between us was painful, and my stomach sank. I knew it was for the best, but it didn’t make it hurt any less. “It never should’ve gone as far as it did.” Every word pushed us further apart.
The air turned thick, and I forced back my feelings, hands becoming erratic at my braid. “There are only two more trials left—I’m sure we can put it behind us. It’s not like it meant anything.”
My heart sank into my chest as he continued walking while I remained where I stood, watching as he strolled away. Surely, he felt the same. He was doing all of this to get his family back. This was all going to end, eventually. Rather by my death or going home. Both of us needed a distraction. That was it.
My back stiffened at the sound of the prince’s nasal tone. “Ms. Rosewood, fancy meeting you for a stroll.”
I cringed, turning around to face him.
“What brings you out here this beautiful afternoon?” he inquired. “I’d thought you’d be busy training.”
“Just taking a break before we head back in,” Talon replied from my side.
My shoulders sagged.
Prince Bowen looked from me to Talon and back. “Hm. I see. Well, thank you, guard, but I’m sure the human can reply, no?” He snaked his hand across my lower back, guiding me away from Talon, toward a more secluded part of the courtyard, and it took everything in me not to recoil at his touch. “So, what brings you to the gardens this afternoon?”
