Page 84 of Thief of Hearts

Was she referencing something else?

Or were these dreams just a product of my own imagination?

As frustrating as these encounters were, the one good thing was that they kept my nightmares about Troas away.

When I woke up, everything felt wrong.

At first I thought it was my guilt resurfacing, but then I realized that the room felt too still.

Dagger wasn’t here and he was always here.

I got up and went over to the trunk that Zain had used and threw it open.

Empty.

I sat down on the floor.

Zain was gone.

I wouldn’t get the chance to apologize again. And I didn’t get to tell him or Dagger goodbye.

He had even taken Thrax, the pig. Which I supposed was for the best so that he could return it to whomever he’d stolen it from. But I’d thought the pig was mine. I had even considered taking it home with me. Although if my brother ever found out about it, he’d probably kidnap it because it would cause him endless delight to have a pet named after him.

I shook my head. That wasn’t what mattered now. What mattered was that he was gone. Somehow I had done this.

When I thought of last night, it hadn’t been my aggression that had made Zain change his mind. Before I’d even made a move, he had already decided that nothing would happen between us.

And I didn’t understand why. He had constantly flirted with me and told me he wanted me. Had it been a game for him?

How had things changed so much between us? Was he angry that I’d won the tournament? He always seemed so happy for me. I had thought he was different. That his male pride wouldn’t be bruised because I’d won instead of him.

Maybe I had been wrong.

There was a sharp, stabbing feeling in my side. It wasn’t my actual stab wound, which had healed.

I realized the pain was there because I missed him.

And I was sad that I wouldn’t get the chance to try to make things right between us.

There was nothing that I could do. I had to accept that. I would go and collect my prizes and return home. There wasn’t anything left for me in Sagaris now.

I got ready for my journey, washed and changed, packed up my belongings. I debated over the dress Zain had gotten for me, whether I should leave it or take it with me. In the end I decided to take it along as a reminder in case I was ever tempted to use Invara’s magic again.

My next stop was the stables to retrieve my horse. When they brought her out, she seemed happy to see me. I pet her nose and said, “You should have a name. I’m going to call you . . . Phaethon. After one of the immortal horses that pulls the carriage of the goddess of the dawn.”

Phaethon did not seem impressed. I climbed onto her back and directed her to the bank, where the official from last night was waiting for me.

“Basileia of Thrace! Welcome, welcome. Come in and let’s get your things.”

I tied Phaethon’s bridle to a post and followed him inside. The bank appeared to be a one-story building, but as we walked to the back, the official led me down a flight of stairs. Then another. And another.

There were two guards on every landing. We reached a hallway where guards were posted every six feet, and then the thick doors and locks started. I quickly lost count of how many we walked through and I marveled at the official’s ability to keep track of which keys went to which locks.

I knew the Sagari took stealing seriously, but I hadn’t realized it was to this depth. It would be impossible to steal from this bank.

We finally reached the room where my prizes were, and the official let me walk in first.

There was a single table in the room. I saw a large bag, a rope, and a box.