Page 62 of Ira

We both knew that we were putting off the inevitable, lingering in this peaceful moment for as long as we could before we walked out of here and everything changed. Even if our absence had somehow gone unnoticed—impossible for me, since I’d missed one of my shifts—the consequences of Meera’s actions would soon make themselves known.

Eventually, there was a shout in the distance. Meera held on to me a little tighter as the sound of footsteps grew louder, seemingly a whole crowd coming to greet us. I didn’t even look up. I wanted to stay in this moment for as long as I could.

Hands—human and Shade—pulled her off me, dragging us apart. The voices around us so loud that I didn’t have a hope of making out Meera’s quiet one, though I could have sworn I heard objection in her tone.

“What were you thinking?” Andrus hissed, his claws digging into my upper arm as he dragged me away. “They’ll have your head for this. Did you learn nothing from the idiot duke?”

“He didn’t do anything!” Meera shouted as Astrid held her back, surprising all of us with the vehemence in her voice. “Where are you taking him?!”

“Where the fuck have youbeen?” I heard Astrid snap, though her hold on Meera was the embrace of a distressed friend rather than a jailer. It was the only thing that kept my temper in check. “You both just vanished—obviously we need some answers.”

Captain Soren moved in front of Meera, blocking my view of her. He softened his voice far more than usual when he spoke to her, though it didn’t seem to help. “We’d just like to talk to you both to understand exactly what is going on. To make sure you’re safe, and nothing happened against your will—”

“Of course it didn’t,” Meera snapped. “What are you saying? What are you accusing him of? Verner is the very best Shade in this whole realm—he’s honorable, and kind, and wonderful.”

I smiled to myself in spite of the dire circumstances, though it didn’t last long as Meera was led away. They held me behind, putting some space between the two of us, and I forced my limbs to stay relaxed and my shadows to be still. Showing any sign of frustration or anger now would only make the situation worse.

“It’s amazing you didn’t die while you were there,” Andrus muttered, drawing my attention back to him. “How long were you there? How did you manage to avoid the light?”

“Meera,” I replied simply.

Andrus made a sound of disapproval. “I hope you took her as your mate first, or you were playing a fucking dangerous game putting your life in her hands like that.”

While many things about our trip to the human realmhadfelt dangerous, that part hadn’t. I’d trusted Meera entirely tokeep me safe, even under challenging circumstances—like that horrible vehicle.

Andrus leaned in close, sniffing me without any regard for my personal space. “You smell a bit like her. Not the way the other mated pairs smell, though. Always drenched in each other’s—”

“Am I going to the Pit?” I interrupted, not needing to hear the end of that sentence.

Andrus made a sound of disagreement. “You’re going to the palace for questioning first.”

“And Meera?”

“Astrid’s instructions were to take her to the healers wing first.”

As much as I didn’t want to be separated from Meera, I wasn’t going to argue with that. She’d barely had a moment to take care of herself over the past few days, and Astrid was assertive enough to ensure that Meera got what she needed.

I exhaled heavily, wondering what my own fate would be. I’d always done everything by the book. I followed the rules. I didn’t complain. If I was known for one thing, it was my dependability. That reputation I’d built up over the years had now been thoroughly destroyed.

I didn’t regret throwing it away, because Meera was worth it, but it was a slightly unsettling feeling. I was never going to be treated the same way. Life as I’d known it was over.

Worst-case scenario, I may even be facing life in the Pit, or worse. I didn’t want to dwell on that, though. I wasn’t even sure the idea had occurred to Meera, and I hoped no one put it in her head.

If I were to be optimistic about it, I could say that perhaps this was the push I needed. The uncertainty with my family situation and my future had been weighing heavily on me for a long time now, and this was an opportunity to address it. To start fresh.

“I’m surprised I’m not receiving the same treatment that the Duke got,” I admitted as Andrus led me out of the in-between and through the palace. The stares were excruciating. Every staff member seemed to have found a way to be on the stairs or in the corridors to get a good look at me.

“He’s the king’s kin, but there was no trust between them,” Andrus replied dismissively. “You’ve loyally guarded the royal wing for years. Of course, you destroyed all that goodwill in one fell swoop, but I imagine it’s why you’re being brought in for questioning rather than thrown into a cell.”

“That’s generous of him,” I murmured, my mind already back with Meera. Would she fight Astrid on receiving care? The others didn’t know Meera, not really. Perhaps they would now that she wasn’t holding anything back, that she waslettingthem see the real her, but I worried that the true nature of her stubborn streak would catch them off guard.

Would they be kind to her? I was on unsteady ground as it was. I certainly didn’t have enough grace to argue with the captain’s mate at this point in time.

I expected Andrus to lead me to the throne room for a formal interrogation, but instead, he took me to a private sitting room in the royal wing of the palace. One I’d only ever guarded from the outside rather than seen the inside of.

It was small but opulent, with heavy velvet drapes covering the walls that gave the space an intimate feel. This was definitely not somewhere that I was meant to be.

“Verner,” the king said gravely, gesturing for me to take a seat opposite in one of the stiff-backed chairs. The captain had beaten us up here, and he stood off to the side while King Allerick and Prince Damen sat side by side on a sofa.

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