Page 5 of Court of Bone and Amethyst

I’m lying in bed upright, not asleep, when there’s a knock on the door. It opens, and Zyren and Naryo stand in the hallway. Zyren’s eyes widen in surprise when he sees me.

Naryo looks back and forth between us. “I assumed you wanted one room…”

“Two is fine,” Zyren says tersely, flicking his gaze away from mine.

“My other guest rooms are under renovation, I’m afraid,” Naryo says with a frown. “Give me a few minutes and I’ll see what I can do to have my staff prepare my room for you.”

Zyren lifts a hand to object. “I couldn’t possibly impose on you any further. Sarielle and I can certainly share a room.”

Naryo’s gaze swivels to mine, and I hesitate only a moment before nodding. Zyren hastily steps inside the room, and Naryo bids us both goodnight and departs.

When the door closes behind him, Zyren meets my gaze a moment, his body rigid. “I will sleep on the floor.”

I stare at the massive bed around me. “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re my husband—even if—if circumstances—it’s fine to share the bed.”

Zyren’s jaw rolls. “Sarielle…”

When he trails off and doesn’t continue, I prompt him. “Yes?”

“Our marriage…it was only to save Valaron and the rest of Aureon, to enact the spell that sent the nightmares back to their part of the realm. I think it would be best if we don’t consider it anything beyond the necessity that it was.”

My heart slows to a crawl within my chest. “What are you saying exactly?”

“I do not think we should use the titles of husband and wife. I do not think we should act as if anything has changed in that regard. I am still your guardian. I am here to protect you. You must focus on your new role as queen. And saving our realm.”

It’s not that I’m surprised by his words, but I’m not going to just let this go quietly. We’d been too exhausted and distraught the night before, but it’s clear unless I force it, Zyren isn’t going to discuss this. “It’s not as if we don’t have real feelings for each other.” I nearly choke on the words as they come out of my throat. I’m still angry with him for withholding the truth aboutKing Jonavus being his brother, but I don’t just want to give up entirely.

“We’ve been through this already,” Zyren says, his words tight. “The night we shared should never have happened. I dishonored you in a moment of weakness. We werenevermeant for each other. You know that.”

“I don’t know that,” I growl. “On the contrary, I told you how I felt about things after the meadow. And now… now things have changed, and we can be together, if we want.”

I realize instantly the incredible error my words. It’s as if a storm cloud envelopes Zyren’s body. His shadows roil off him.

“Because my brother isdead.” His eyes, pinned on mine, smolder with fury.

“That’s not what I meant…”

“What did you mean?”

I open and close my mouth twice, but I can’t find words to make this right.

“You know the worst part?” Zyren says, his words black flame. “He diedhatingme. He died knowing I betrayed him in the worst possible way. And you only saw that cruel and twisted part of him, the part that I brought out because of my actions.”

“Zyren, I’m so sorry…”

He goes utterly and completely still. “We will not speak of this again. You are not my wife, and I am not your husband. You are free to love whomever you wish, and I will not think ill of you. We did what we needed to do. That is all.”

And he crosses the room to the glass doors that open onto the courtyard, closes them behind him, and vanishes into the moonlit darkness beyond.

Chapter Four

Zyren

Ifeel as ifI’m being pulled apart by a herd of horses galloping in different directions.

Sitting in the moon-streaked darkness of the courtyard, I listen to the hum of crickets, and in the distance, the song of a night bird. I focus on the sounds to drown out the whirlwind in my head. And in my heart. So many opposing thoughts and feelings.

Now that my brother is dead, I have no family. Our parents have long since gone, and now, after yesterday, it is just me. The eldest and last son, and the least worthy of us all. The one with the darkness inside, the monster always clawing for the surface.

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