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Chapter 36
Dagen
Dagen hungaround the door even after Taveon stormed off to get ready for his trip with Bree and Rafferty. Bree spotted him standing there, frowning as she crossed the room. She stepped out into the hallway, casting a glance over her shoulder at Rafferty, who was disappearing into his bathingchambers.
Quietly, she shut the door behind her. “What is it that you want, LordDagen?”
“You know you may just call me Dagen. There is no need to use mytitle.”
She frowned. “Why? I’m just your servant or whatever,right?”
“Well, yes, but...” His heart almost stopped at the look on her face. Taveon’s little visit seemed to have transformed her. She’d looked relaxed and almost happy when Rafe had first opened the door—they’d clearly gotten close in their time spent together. But Taveon’s words had made that smile turn further and further into a frown until a permanent scowl was etched into herface.
“You like to pretend you’re nothing like the Prince, but you’re just the same. You need me for something, and then you’ll get rid of me once you’re done. No need to pretend that we’refriends.”
“I...” This was not what Dagen had intended when he’d asked Bree to spy for him. But he didn’t know how to explain that to her, not without looking as though he’d lied all this time. “I truly came here to make certain that you aresafe.”
“Well, I’m safe.” She cast a glance at the door. “Anythingelse?”
He could see the longing in her face. Rafferty, the shapeshifting raven, had been good to her. He’d seen the way Rafferty looked at her, mostly when he thought no one else was looking. He understood what Rafe saw. Dagen saw it, too. And he almost wished that he were the one on the other side of the door. Not that he was jealous, per se. Just that he wished he could see that side of Bree, too. The side that wasn’t so hardened toward the entireworld.
The side that was willing to show something akin to...fondness.
Dagen cleared his throat, shook his head, and stepped back. What in the name of the forest was getting into him? He had clearly started something he shouldn’t have, but he felt like it was impossible to stop now. Every time he spoke to her, he felt even more drawn in. So much so that he was starting to look like a bit of atit.
“Do you need anything?” he asked. “I could get you moved to other quarters. I could have more guards added to the rotation outside of your door. I can make sure no one can get toyou.”
“Rafe has offered to let me stay here with him until the Battle for the Crown is over,” she said in a small voice, almost shyly. “I think...I will stay here. It’ssafe.”
Dagen slowly gave a nod, feeling a bit of defeat in his heart. “Okay, just let meknow...”
“Thanks, Lord Dagen.” Bree yanked open the door and disappeared back inside Rafe’s quarters. Dagen stood there watching until the very last sliver of her disappeared behind the thick wood. A part of him wished he could call out to her again, but he knew he would only end up looking like an even bigger tit than he alreadydid.
Bree thought he was using her, just like Taveon was. If only she knew thetruth.
