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“Not a chance. I won’t?—”
“You!” the Rathalan guard shouted. Noticing what we were doing, he yanked Skyler to his feet. The next guard shoved him against the wall, punching him in the stomach. Skyler doubled over, dropping the necklace.
“Skyler—!” My words were cut off when the point of a dagger touched my throat.
“You and I are going to get a front-row seat,” Bloodbain said, pushing me toward the open terrace.
46
Jeddak
Lila and I were whisked away with our bears to one of the empty bedroom chambers and told to wait there until a separate room for Lila was readied.
“What are we going to do?” I mumbled, running my hand through my hair. I didn’t know if I was talking to Lila, Kah, or myself. “The king has gone completely mad!”
“It’ll be all right,” Lila said, her words always sweet and gentle like honey. She moved away from Senna and placed her hand on my chest, gazing up at me. “This might not be how we envisioned our wedding, but we’ll be together, and that’s the only thing that matters.”
“I can’t, Lila,” I breathed, shaking my head. I couldn’t look her in the eye. “This isn’t right. You know it.”
“I know, but your father’s just doing what he thinks is best for Askeland,” she said, trying to comfort me, though I could detect the hurt in her voice.
“You seriously can’t believe that.” Forcing me to get married, ignoring the Tribal Peace Accords, practically handing over a stone of power to the Rathalans—none of that was best for Askeland. I released a frustrated sigh, walking away toward the window.
“This isn’t the worst arrangement,” Kah said to me.
“How can you say that?” I practically shouted. My father had told Bloodbain to kill Raven if I didn’t go through with the wedding, holding the suli map as collateral.
“Well, if you go through with the wedding, both Raven and Lila stay alive, and the Rathalans leave the city—without more bloodshed. Once they’re gone, we can go after them and get the map back.”
But then I’ll be married …
Lila slipped her hand in mine, pulling me over to sit on the bed. “Jeddak, if you don’t want to do this …” Her words trailed off, waiting for me to say something.
Skies, it felt like my heart had been split in two. Here was Lila,myLila—the girl I’d journeyed halfway across Eastlandra for—ready to pledge her heart to me, and all I could think about was Raven and our stolen kiss in the bramblelands. For months, I’d thought Lila was the love of my life. Now the feelings I had for her felt more like a gentle simmer compared to the intense blaze I felt for Raven.
I forced myself to meet Lila’s gaze, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She smiled softly and leaned her head onto my shoulder. For a moment, it was like we’d never been apart. “Of course, I want to do this,” I whispered, trying to sound more reassuring than I felt. The truth was, if marrying Lila was the only way for me to protect Raven, I had no choice.
“I love you, Jeddak,” she said.
I didn’t respond.
We sat in silence until one of the servants whisked her and Senna away to get ready. Kah and I were left alone.
When the sunsank toward the horizon, a familiar voice startled me out of my brooding. “Jeddak!”
I turned to see Averee and her bear, Nya, entering the room. I almost didn’t recognize her without her leather armor and her hair pulled back in its signature ponytail. Now, she was wearing a long cream-colored dress, a shade lighter than Nya’s tan fur, and her blonde hair spilled in loose waves over her shoulders. But she still looked ready to fight. “What the blazenhell is going on? There are at least twenty Rathalans in the great hall, and someone said…” She glanced at my outfit. “Skies, what are you wearing?”
I shrugged weakly. Somehow, the servants had managed to scrub the dirt off my face, bandage the teeth marks on my forearm, and force me to change into a stiff white shirt and a tailored black jacket detailed with silver edging that complemented Kah’s black-and-silver fur.
“Let me guess, your benevolent father has brought in Malengard’s army to force you to change into nicer clothes for once?”
I smirked. “You’re one to talk,” I said, nodding to her fancy dress.
She furrowed her eyebrows, dropping the sarcasm. “This ismyfather’s doing. He made me wear this. He just received word about your wedding—tonight. I didn’t even know you were back in Askeland.”
I imagined that guests were starting to arrive in the great hall. This wedding might be spur of the moment, but my father wouldn’t insult Askeland’s prestigious families and the high council by not extending invitations. He’d likely sent outmessengers the moment I’d agreed to this farce. I wondered if anyone would confront him about the enemy cozying up in our halls.Unlikely. Since my mother died, my father had been twisting his rule of Askeland tighter around his own selfish interests. Those who had spoken against him had been punished. That’s why members of the high council like Averee’s father were making plans in secret these days.
“Jed, what’s going on? Why are there Rathalans here, and why are you getting married in such a rush?” Averee asked, glancing between me and Kah.
