Page 5 of The Crowned Queen

“They won’t know,” Araya insisted. “My mate is searching for me. If you get this message to Serafina Hart, he’ll free you too when he comes for me⁠—”

“Just drink your tea and don’t make this any worse than it already is.” Belanis snatched the cup from the bedside table, her voice shaking almost as badly as her hands. “If you don’t, I have to tell Master Shaw. I won’t be punished for your disobedience.”

For a long moment, neither of them moved. Finally, Araya took the cup and brought it to her lips. The tea had steeped too long, turning as bitter as ash. But Araya forced herself to swallow again and again, until the cup was empty.

Belanis snatched it back without a word, nearly toppling the entire tea service in her haste. Magic flared, the door swinging open just long enough for her to dart through the opening. It crashed shut behind her, leaving Araya alone with the bitter taste of the tea lingering on her tongue.

She should have known better. The Arcanum kept them like this for a reason—terrified to make one wrong move. Belanis would never put herself at risk to help her. She was too afraid.

Araya tore one of the thin shifts they’d given her to wear into strips. The fabric was coarse and thin, but it would have to serve. The longer she could hide that she’d gotten her cycle the more time she’d have to come up with a plan. Because once they realized⁠—

Araya shivered, pressing a hand against her chest. What she would give to feel him, just for a moment. But the tea had done its job. There was nothing left. No warmth. No shadows. No trace of the bond that had once thrummed between them like a second heartbeat.

She was on her own.

Hours had passed by the time the door opened again. Araya had spent the hours bathing and redressing, scrubbing the blood from her skin and hiding the extra strips of fabric from her ruined shift under the mattress before curling up on the window seat. She’d lost herself there for a while, watching the shadows move across the garden so far below.

“Miss—” Belanis said, her voice strained. Jaxon made her nervous. “Master Shaw is here.”

Of course he was. Araya didn’t bother looking up from the window, the glass cool against her fingertips as she stared down at the garden just starting to come to life. How long had it been since she walked through that same garden in her dreams with Loren? It felt like an eternity ago, but somehow it had only been months.

“It’s alright, Belanis,” Jaxon said, his voice silken. “You’re not to blame for her poor behavior.” The hair on the back of Araya’s neck prickled as his warm breath ghosted across her skin, his footsteps nearly silent on the plush carpet. “Let’s not play games today, Starling. It would be rude to keep our guest waiting.”

Araya turned slowly. Resisting wasn’t worth the pain—not when she couldn’t actually defy him here. The best she could do was force him to order her to acknowledge his presence.

“There you are.” Jaxon’s fingers brushed her jaw, tilting her chin up until she had no choice but to look at him. He stared down at her, the smile that used to make her heart skip a beat tugging at his lips. “Have you ever met Rian Sterling?”

Araya’s gaze moved to the man hovering by the door—not the healer Jaxon had brought in to see her when she first got here. He was older than Garrick, his hair gone entirely silver and his face lined. The ivory ring carved from fae bone on his right hand marked him as a magister, but his black Arcanum robes hung loosely off his shoulders, gaping open to reveal rumpled clothes far more suited to a scholar underneath.

“We haven’t met, but I’ve heard all about her from Kai.” He took a step toward her, smiling warmly. ”It’s a pleasure, Miss Starwind. You’re welcome to call me Rian, if it makes you more comfortable.”

Sterling—this was Kai’s father then. Araya crossed her arms over her midsection, hugging her elbows. “What do you want?”

“Manners, Starling.” Jaxon’s fingers closed around her arm like a vice, preventing her from pulling away. “Rian is the runesmith that developed the ly’ithra rune. He’s going to examine yours and make sure everything is as it should be.”

Araya’s gaze snapped back to Kai’s father. He watched her with curious eyes—like she was some sort of problem he’d been tasked to solve.

“You can’t,” she said, the words tumbling out before she could stop them. “If I’m pregnant⁠—”

“But you aren’t pregnant.” Jaxon chuckled, smiling down at her like she’d made a joke. “Did you really think I wouldn’t know?”

No—but she’d thought she would have more time. A day, maybe two before she couldn’t hide it. Araya’s gaze flicked to Belanis, but the other female kept her gaze fixed on the floor, only the flushed tips of her ears revealing she felt any emotion at all over betraying her to Jaxon.

“Don’t blame her.” Jaxon steered her forward, nudging her toward the bed. “You’re smarter than that. You had to know she tells me everything. Every word you say, every little plan you make. You don’t get to keep secrets from me, Starling.”

Araya set her jaw, lifting her chin to meet Jaxon’s gaze. “You’ll have to break me to get what you want,” she said. She might not be able to fight, but she’d be damned before she cowered in front of him.

“Don’t be so dramatic, Araya.” Jaxon rolled his eyes. “Rian isn’t here to torture you. All he’s going to do is examine you and make a few recommendations as to how we can best utilize your…unique connection.”

“No—” Araya gasped, jerking against Jaxon’s grip. They were going to use the bond—use her—to hurt Loren. But between the iron and magic sapping her strength she had no chance of breaking free. Even if she had, there was nowhere for her to run.

“It’s natural for them to struggle.” Rian stepped forward, stopping just short of being able to reach out and touch her. “If you don’t mind?”

“By all means.”

Jaxon released her so suddenly that Araya stumbled forward. Rian caught her easily, his palm hot on the bare skin of her shoulder. The bone ring he wore dug into her flesh, humming with stolen magic that wormed its way beneath her skin.

“No!” Araya jerked away from him, her voice breaking. “Stop. I don’t want you to touch me⁠—”