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Chapter 15
Bree
After their morning walk,Taveon usually disappeared to have his breakfast while Bree ate her cold porridge in the cell. An hour or two later—it was impossible to tell without a clock, and she still hadn’t fully gotten to know the moon’s position in the sky yet—Rafe would come along to collect her. Not that she could truly see the moon from her cell. She had no window herself, only a small barred sliver at the end of the long hallway, far away from where she washoused.
Her strange life had begun to take on a certain rhythm, one that started to feel as steady as her heartbeat. Which was why she was caught off guard when Lord Dagen appeared outside her cell at the same time that Rafe usually turnedup.
“You walked with the Prince this morning again,” he said by way ofgreeting.
Crossing her arms, she strode up to the bars and scowled out at the Lord. “Hello to you, too. Have you been spying on yourspy?”
“I have many eyes and ears.” His lips quirked. “You did not truly think you were the only one, now didyou?”
That beastly rage roared inside her chest, but she clamped it down. Here and now was not the time to lose her temper, and she wouldn’t give Dagen the satisfaction of thinking he could rile herup.
“Well, then I guess you know everything, and you don’t need my help,” shesnapped.
He gave her a full-on grin at that. “Tell me. What have youdiscovered?”
“You’re getting a bit ahead of yourself, aren’t you? It’s been threedays.”
“I would have thought your freedom was incentive enough to get you working faster than this.” He reached out a hand and let it trail down the bars before it rested on the lock that kept Bree hidden from the rest of the world. Her eyes followed his every movement. “Perhaps it is a prize that feels too unachievable. Remember that we are starting smaller. One step at a time,yes?”
“What are you rambling on about?” she asked. “You mean the nicer quarters you promisedme?”
“I just need that one piece of information first. A small piece. Nothing earth shattering.” His smile widened. “It does not even need to be particularly damaging, and I will give you your room. The one with a window. The one withoutbars.”
Her heart roared in her chest at the thought. It had been far too long since she’d seen the outside world. Far too long since she’d been able to gaze up at the sky. Despite the daily walks and the training, Prince Taveon hadn’t allowed her to step outside even once since she’d arrived at this castle. The only sight of the world was that tiny window at the top of the Academy’s ceiling. She would give almost anything to get out of this cell, to step outside, to breathe in fresh air.Almostanything.
“I’ve tried,” she said. “The Prince isn’t particularly forthcoming, you know. Maybe if you were a little bit more specific in what you want. What should I be focusingon?”
“Find out who he plans to name his Hand of the King if he takes thethrone.”
“Wouldn’t that beRafe?”
“Raffertyis not on the council, so no. It will be someone else. Find out, and I shall get you thosequarters.”
Huh. Bree wouldn’t have guessed Rafe wasn’t on the council. He certainly seemed to be the Prince’s right-hand man, but she also hadn’t really seen him interact with very many other fae. And she couldn’t help but wonder why. If Rafe was his first choice to train Bree, then why wasn’t he on thecouncil?
“Alright, I’m on it,” Bree said. “But the second I get this information, you better give me that betterroom.”
Lord Dagen shot her a wicked grin, and then bowed before disappearing down the darkened corridor. As he went, his footsteps blended in with the sound of another set. Through the darkness, Bree recognized the approaching fae far before she ever saw his face. There was something so familiar and recognizable in Rafe’s gate. Confidence and strength. Pure power. It made her heartbeat pick up speed, trembling beneath her ribcage.
Rafe frowned as he strode down the hallway, casting a sideways glance as he passed Lord Dagen. When he reached Bree’s cell, the expression on his face was nothing short ofangry.
“What was that cretin doing here? What did he want with you? Why was he down here alone with you?” His hands were fists by hissides.
“Don’t worry,” Bree said quickly. She didn’t want him asking too many questions about the Lord. While she didn’t mind spying on Taveon and couldn’t care less what the Prince would think about her betrayal, she didn’t want Rafe to find out. She didn’t want to see the look on his face when he discovered it. She had a feeling he’d take it like she had betrayedhim, maybe even more than the Prince. “He didn’t do anything untoward. Besides, I wouldn’t have let him if he’dtried.”
Rafe unlocked the cell door and strode inside, standing tall before her with dangerous eyes. “What did he want, Bree? You cannot expect me to believe he just came down here to gaze at themerchandise?”
She flinched and took a step back. Rafferty had never spoken of her that way, at least not that she knew of. As if she were the Prince’s property. As if she truly were hisslave.
His face immediately softened when he saw the look in her eyes. “I am sorry. I did not mean it that way. That is just how someone like Lord Dagen would viewyou.”
“Yeah. And I certainly didn’t think you saw me that way,too.”
“Bree.” He loosed a breath. “I don’t. I am sorry. I just got angry at the thought that Dagen was in here with you, poking and prodding and doing who knows what else. I have heard stories of what some Court members do with those they consider slaves. It is notpretty.”
Her cheeks flushed. “He was doing nothing of thesort.”
“Of course not.” That bright smile of his finally crossed his face. “I imagine you would not make it particularly easy on him if hetried.”
“No.” She grinned. “Iwouldn’t.”
“Good.” A pause. “How are you feeling? Are you ready totrain?”
Bree had never been more ready in herlife.
