Vander gave him a curt, close-lipped smile. “The chieftain’s son, I presume.”
“The trainer?” Kace replied, giving him a once-over. “Nice dagger.”
“Thanks.” I hadn’t realized how much taller Vander was than Kace until this moment. At least five inches.
“Kace is my friend that I told you about,” I added to the intense silence.
“I remember. I’ll give you two a few minutes to catch up, but we need to leave soon.”
Kace glared. “A few minutes?”
“That’s right. We need to get back to Nighthaven.”
“I didn’t think assassins were afraid of the dark.”
Vander gave him a cold smile. “We’re not.”
“Then she can decide for herself how long she spends with me. You don’t get to tell her what to do here.”
Oof. “Kace,” I warned softly.
“Actually,” Vander smirked, “I do. But please, by all means, take your few minutes. I get to have her all the time.”
Astonished, I slowly turned my head to look at him. What game was he playing? Last night he crushed me and now he wanted to taunt Kace?
“Come on, Kace, I want to talk.” I hooked my arm around his elbow before he could say anything regretful and led him away. I peeked over my shoulder to find Vander staring after us. His jaw muscles tensed, and his eyes glinted with violence. The hot and cold from this man was going to drive me into madness.
“Tall, dark, and creepy back there makes me nervous. Are you comfortable with him as your trainer?”
I shot him a glare. “He’s not creepy, and yes, he’s respectful and professional. He’s also a friend now.”
Kace narrowed his eyes. “I don’t like the way he acts like you’re his property.”
“He’s a high-ranking assassin and I’m an apprentice.”
“And I’m the chieftain’s son and never treated you like that.”
“The League of Assassins is much different than Neverglade. You wouldn’t understand.”
“Well, you might not have to deal with them much longer.”
“What do you mean by that?”
He tucked a stray lock of chestnut hair behind his ear. “Well, remember your father told you I intended to marry you? I still want to marry you, Aesira. My father and I have already sent a letter of intention to King Sigurd.”
My stomach dropped to my heels, and I swallowed to wet my suddenly dry throat. I’d given up on a life with Kace. I peeked again at Vander, our gazes met just before he stepped inside and my spine tingled. “Uh,” I croaked. “You sent him a letter about what exactly?”
“We’ve been going over the laws. Because I’m the future chieftain, if you marry me our marriage contract could negate the assassins’ guild claim on you. We only need permission from King Sigurd. Then you would be free of them.”
“I’m in the League of Assassins until I die,” I said, confused. I’d heard that enough times for it to be branded in my mind. I almost pulled down the collar of my shirt to my shoulder to expose my LOA tattoo to prove it.
“The king can overrule guild laws. My father knows him. I’m sure we’ll get a meeting.”
“I thought you said you were stonewalled?”
“We have been so far, but if you and I go to the king together, we could convince him to let us marry.”
My heart was beating too fast. “I—I don’t know. I need to think.”
