“Don’t say ever.” She pouted. “A male like that . . . you don’t close a door on that.”
“It’s already closed,” I stated firmly, praying I wasn’t lying. “Nothingcanhappen. He’s a member of Luc’s royal guard. I refuse to be in a relationship with someone under his control.”
“I never said anything about a relationship.” She smirked as the words left her mouth. “There are plenty ofotherthings you can do. I’m just saying . . . you can’t deny the chemistry there.”
“Em—” I began. “It’snothappening. He’s not eventhatattractive.”
She laughed, and better yet, even Finn joined.
“Even I know you’re lying on that statement, darling.” Finn retorted, and I shot him a scathing glare.
Emberly pulled out her phone, scrolling until she foundwhat she was looking for. Then phones chimed in the room, and I glanced at the photo she’d sent . . . a photo of Blackwood, smirking down at me with a victorious grin on his lips.
“Stars-damned,” Sage proclaimed in a gasp as she stared at the photo. “Girl, you’re just lying to yourself if you’re saying there’s no chance.”
I groaned, burying my face in my hands as I tuned out my closest friends, all discussing the male—the same one I’d already firmly decided was entirely off-limits for far too many reasons.
“He’s off-limits, okay?” I replied in a muffled voice from behind my hands. “It doesn’t matter if he’s insanely hot or a god himself. And it certainly doesn’t matter whether I feel drawn to him or not . . . because he’s RSG, and I’m not getting caught up in those politics.”
“So you admit youdofeel a draw to him?” Sage chided, and I dropped my hands to glare over at her.
“No—” I snapped, and she raised a single eyebrow at me in disbelief. “Fine, yes, maybe I do. I don’t know. But he’s a member of the RSG and I can’t do that to myself,” I admitted.
“You can say that all you want,” Emberly stated. “But that look between you two there”—she gestured to the photo she’d taken of us—“that isn’t a look ofthere’s nothing there.”
“At the bare minimum,” Finn teased, “that look saysyou could do me here and now if you wanted.”
“Shut up!” I scolded Finn, my cheeks burning at the thought as I looked between my best friends. “It doesn’t matter, okay? I’m not letting myself get that close to someone who works for the male who killed my father. So please, please,please, for the love of Astara, just drop it.”
“We will,” Emberly confirmed.
“For now,” Finn tacked on. “This conversation isfarfrom over, though.”
18
CALLUM
SCOUTING DAY 7 (1 day since last contact with Guild)
“Well,did that go how you planned it?” Axel shot me an amused look as we stood outside Solis Court in the shadows, far from any prying eyes.
“Just shut up, okay?” I bit back, glancing toward my second in command.
He chuckled lowly as he leaned against the outer wall of the building, one foot propped against the surface. “You shouldn’t have danced with her, though.”
I clenched my jaw, looking at Pierce with annoyance, my fists opening and closing involuntarily as he continued.
“I’m not trying to get on your case, especially after that mark appeared. But we’re standing in the middle of enemy territory, Cal. We can’t afford for our cover to be blown. Not now. Not this late into our scouting. And that surveillance drone, it got far closer to you than it should have.”
My eyes narrowed, flicking over toward Axel. “Look, man. I know. I know I can’t fuck it up. I’ve just . . . I’ve never felt thatkind of draw to someone before. It’s like this unexplainable force that pulls me into her orbit anytime she’s near.”
“Well, I’d say you could maybe start with notdancingwith her at the center of our enemy’s court . . . but that’s just my thoughts. Or, another brilliant idea . . .” He raised his hands in a gesture of surrender as he spoke. “You couldtellher that the starbound mark appeared.”
I shook my head at that. “No, I can’t do that.”
“For the love of Aeternus . . . Why, exactly, can’t you do that? She is yourstarboundafter all. You’re going to have to tell her at some point, sooner or later.”
“No,” I responded. “Evenif I felt some form of connection to her. If I felt that this could be something real?—”
