Page 116 of The Heir's Bargain

But this? I had a right to know. I searched the walls of her shields. I should have been proud of how strong they were and how tall Dani had been able to build them over the years. Instead, I was angry—no, I wasn't angry. I was hurt.

Which was so much worse.

Still, no castle was impenetrable.

But as I stared at the base of her shields, the hurt became palpable, a sourness soaking my tongue.

I pulled back, my fingers digging into my thigh. For once, I did not wish to find the answers by ripping them from someone's mind. I was sick and tired of people hiding behind their shields.

I wanted the truth said aloud. I glared at the commander, who had been avoiding me for the past week.

"And where is this mission taking place?" I asked, my fingers tapping the table.

Moris, however, was the one to speak. "We've been chosen to head to the mainland for a classified reconnaissance mission." His eyes lit with an unfiltered eagerness as he waved his spoon.

Lady Ferrios cleared her throat, glaring at Moris.

Moris straightened and added, "Your Highness."

"To the mainland, you say?" I asked.

"The mission," Menides said after sipping his wine, "actually was the Crown Prince's idea."

My jaw cracked as Dani turned to me and asked, "Was it?"

"Mhm," I hummed, my attention still fixed on the commander. "I didn't know you had already chosen the squad, Commander."

Menides peered over his glass, his features void of emotion. "The decision was made this morning, Your Highness."

"I see." My gaze slipped to Dani.

As her eyes met mine reluctantly, an unspoken question rose to my countenance.

A honeyed thought cut through the air in response, but her sweet voice did little to soothe the pain.

I was going to tell you.

But the words meant little when I knew the truth, for her eyes said everything.

She wasn't going to tell me.

Not until she had returned from Ardentol.

Not until the mission had already been completed.

Chapter 30

DANI

The moment I saw Fynn, I should have told him I had been chosen for the mission. But I couldn't. The words became lead in my mouth and concrete in my stomach.

This mission was too critical.

After my father had announced who was chosen for it, he finally told us what we had trained so hard for over the past few weeks.

The Royal Seer had another vision. Soon, bloodshed and death would mark Pontian soil. The previous attack was only a precursor, a prequel for the story to come. For years, our kingdom had not retaliated. With the peace treaty from the Great War still in place, retaliating would put our kingdom at risk. So, for fifteen years, we had waited.

And waited.

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