Page 95 of The Heart Trials

Kade smirks, then holds out his hand. “Would you join me for this next song? There’s so much about Axira I’m dying to know.”

“She will not,” I say.

But Miss Omon slips her gloved hand into his and follows him as if lulled by a curse. I slink through the crowd, keeping a close eye on them. He speaks to her with guile and charm, and Miss Omon, who has never smiled a day in her life, chats with him as if she’s intrigued by the aura in this place. My gaze is pinned to her as the song goes on when a familiar whispered voice grabs my attention. Talia.

“Of course that stuff about Rhythe and her isn’t true,” she says to Lira, detached from Jace for a moment.

They’re talking about Ivy. I slip backward into a throng of people to eavesdrop out of sight.

“She’s just saying that,” Talia continues.

She? Me.

“But Ivy’s around now,” Lira says. “Rhythe said he wants her in.”

“Because Ivy’s smart. She never talks because she’s taking mental notes on everyone and everything. She’s good to have in the group.”

Lira taps her foot. “I don’t know.”

“You believe Axira? Come on.”

“What reason does she have to lie?” Lira asks.

“She wants our alliance broken up,” Talia says. “I overheard her and Caelus whispering about it.”

My heart beats so loudly I expect them to hear it.

“Look, if you think Rhythe is playing games with us—” Talia goes on.

“I don’t,” Lira says. “I said I wasn’t sure. Don’t tell him I said that. I never said that!”

“Would you calm down? All I’m saying is if Ivy is a distraction to him, we can get rid of her during the third trial too. He’s so focused on Axira and Dorian, he won’t notice. Add her to the list.”

I back away, stumbling from the shadows, looking for Miss Omon. The walls feel like they’re closing in. Ivy is nothing to me, but now that Talia and Lira are after her, it feels like I should do or say something.

Caelus, where is Caelus?

Miss Omon’s song with Kade is ending, and I march up to her and seize her arm. “She’s had enough, thanks.”

“Axira—” she starts, but I pull her away more forcefully this time, sobered by my eavesdropping. This isn’t a game. Kade will kill to get anyone out of his way. I rue the moment I kissed him and even hinted that I could be interested in matching with him at all.

“He’s not safe,” I whisper to Miss Omon, walking quickly past the granite statues, cutting through the throne room to the doors. I reach for the handle, but a guard steps in my way. “I wanted to show her my room,” I say. “We were told our guests are treated like Skyborn tonight.”

“You have seven minutes,” he says. “I will start walking in that direction in two.”

I pull Miss Omon along as fast as I can down the hall, up the stairs. She plods to keep up. When we make it to my room, I open the door and close us inside. Her eyes sweep the space and her breath catches, shallow and sharp. Her gloved hands hover in front of her, unsure what to do in a place like this.

“It’s so—” Her eyes water, and this time, an actual tear falls down her face. I rush her a tissue, wiping her face, more roughly than I mean to. A tremor passes through her jaw. She walks to the window, looking out at the moonlit sea. Then she stares at me like she’s never seen me before.

I take a deep breath. “Listen—”

“No, you listen to me.” She grabs my bare hand tightly in her gloved grip. “You take this. You take all of it. And you don’t feel bad for any of it. Do you hear me? Your parents would roll over in the sea if they could see how far you’ve risen.”

My brows kiss.

“My parents hated the Skyborn and their rules.” My mother was never brave enough to disobey. My father defied them to honor my mother. It cost him his life.

“Yes. And it is a privilege to have that choice. A privilege they are offering you. A privilege you could have forever.” She shakes my hand.