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I could feel myself shaking under his hands. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. “What happened is your court mage thought it would be a good idea to give me an unplanned test.” I looked past him to Ulpheas. “He’s a stitcher, isn’t he?”
“Yes,” Draven said distractedly. “Lyrastra sent him to me. She suggested I find out where you were.”
“Lyrastra? I suppose that makes sense. She wouldn’t want anyone to steal the pleasure of killing me before she had a chance to do it,” I said bitterly.
Draven let go of my shoulders abruptly. His green eyes darted around the alley, taking in Odessa’s shoulder, the bodies, the crumbling walls, Crescent’s stunned expression.
“My lord prince,” Javer said hastily as Draven’s eyes fell upon him. “I can explain. If this was a test, she passed with flying colors. Why, look at these two. Hardly injured at all. Somehow, she managed to kill all of the others while your friends remain unscathed.”
“Yes,” Draven said slowly. “My friends. Your friends, too. Not merely Morgan’s guards. Friends. And as for Morgan herself? My paramour? You set armed men upon her? You had her ambushed on the chance she would be able to defend herself? What if she had failed?”
“I knew that would never happen,” Javer said swiftly. “She’s incredible. You were absolutely right to demand she receive training.”
“No,” Draven said. “I was wrong. And so were you.”
Javer paled.
Draven lifted his arms as if about to deliver a blow. I saw his hands were trembling. Slowly, he lowered them again. “You know what I would do to most men in your stead, Javer. I have given you more chances than most ever would.”
Javer straightened his back and lifted his chin. “I live to serve. I die to serve. I accept the error of my ways, though it was not my intent to cause harm or offense, my prince. Do what you will. I accept your judgment. You have my loyalty, always, even to the death.”
Fuck.
Javer was managing to impress me, even after all he had done.
I still wanted to kill him slowly. But he had fucked up and admitted it. Just as Draven had done. That took guts.
Or he simply knew the right words to say to get himself one last chance.
“Go back to the palace,” Draven said, his voice low and menacing. “Morgan will not be receiving training from you. If you come near her like this again, I will not hesitate to kill you.”
“I understand.” Javer bowed his head.
He scurried out of the alley like a rat from a sinking ship, his large wings fluttering behind him.
Draven turned back to where Odessa, Crescent, and I stood silently waiting.
I watched as he took a deep breath. “Odessa, Crescent. I pray you will not blame Morgan for your injuries. Javer erred greatly. But my error was still greater. I should never have asked him to become involved in Morgan’s training.” He met my gaze. “Can you forgive me? I should never have gone to him. It was my fault this happened.”
“It was Javer’s fault.” I shook my head stubbornly. “Not yours. And no one is to blame for Odessa’s injury but me, the one who gave it to her. Whether I meant to or not, I did that.”
“Does this mean there’s no gift?” Crescent piped up. I was shocked to see a smile already playing at the corners of his mouth. “I was told there would be a gift.”
“You’re rallying quickly, aren’t you?” I grumbled. “There’s obviously no gift.”
Draven raised one dark brow. “Gift?”
“Crescent was given a message saying to bring me to a shop nearby where you’d be waiting with a gift,” I explained. “All part of Javer’s neat little ambush.”
“Ah, I see.” Draven glanced down the alley. “As it happens, there is a gift. But I wasn’t planning on giving it to you until after the next challenge.” His lips twitched. “If I survived.”
I punched him on the arm. “Don’t you dare fucking say that.”
“Of course, you’ll come through the next round admirably,” Odessa agreed stoutly.
Draven’s eyes narrowed in on her burns. “Odessa, what are you even still doing standing here?” He snapped his fingers and Ulpheas came running. “Get Odessa to a healer back in the palace.”
Ulpheas bowed his head. “At once.”
