Page 107 of Kingdom of Briars and Roses

Eventually, I reached the palace gates. The guards stopped me, demanding my name and what business I had here. I threw back my hood and watched their eyes widen.

“Your Highness,” the one blocking my path said. “We thought you were lost.”

“Yes, I can see you’ve been very worried.”

He lowered his head in a bow before gesturing for me to proceed. “We’ll escort you back to ensure your safety.”

I didn’t point out that my safety clearly hadn’t been a priority before. Or that their escort felt more like an armed guard taking a prisoner back to her cell.

When we reached the castle, the doors opened, and a servant bowed his head at the sight of me. “Your Highness.”

“Where’s Callan?” I asked, my temper brewing hotter the farther I went without anyone to greet me.

Had he really just moved on with his life in the span of a few hours?

“He’s in his study, Your Highness,” the servant said, his head bowed.

My steps quickened as I made my way deeper into the halls. Two soldiers still followed me like shadows. I ignored them, or tried to, but I couldn’t deny I felt trapped.

And then I heard him.

“Aurelia.”

Callan stood at the end of the hallway, the buttons on his jacket gleaming in the lamplight, his golden eyes fixed on me with a mixture of concern and fury. His jaw was set, the muscles in his shoulders tense, as though he’d been waiting for me far beyond the limits of his patience. He wasn’t hurt that I could see, but the tension in the air between us was unmistakable. He wasn’t relieved to see me.

“You’re back,” he said, his voice even but laced with an unspoken accusation. His gaze swept over me, taking in my new cloak, the mud on my boots, and the disheveled state I hadn’t had time to fix. Subtly, I slid my arm further inside the cloak to hide the mark the oracle’s bargain had left on my skin.

“I am,” I said quietly, my voice steady despite the storm of emotions inside me.

He took a step forward, the soft glow of the lanterns casting sharp shadows across his face. His eyes were slightlyglazed, but his gaze locked onto mine, unyielding. “Where were you?”

I hesitated.

I could feel the lie on my tongue, ready to slip free, but I knew he wouldn’t believe it. Still, I had no other choice. I couldn’t tell him the truth—not about Rydian, not about what I’d learned from the oracle.

“I was chased far away from the jewelry shop before I lost them,” I said, forcing my voice to stay calm. “I wandered the city, looking for you until I found my way back here.”

Callan stared at me, his amber eyes searching my face. The tension in his posture never eased, and the air grew thick between us.

“Alone?” he asked, his voice soft but dangerous. He didn’t believe me, not for a second.

I tucked my hand behind my back to hide the rune on my wrist. He took another step closer, his presence commanding, towering over me as if daring me to lie again.

“Yes,” I said, standing my ground. “Alone.”

“You smell like fae male,” he said, and I tensed at the accusation.

“I probably smell like a whole city of them,” I said flippantly. “The streets were crowded. I stole this cloak so I wouldn’t be recognized.”

For a moment, he said nothing. The silence stretched between us, his gaze burning into mine, as though he was waiting for me to crack. But I didn’t flinch.

Finally, Callan exhaled, a frustrated sigh escaping his lips. His hands, clenched at his sides, loosened slightly, though the storm in his eyes remained. “I see,” he said, his voice still tight with suspicion. “In that case, I’m glad you’re all right.”

He reached out, brushing a stray strand of hair away from my face. The touch was tender, but it carried a weight, a silent reminder of his frustration. His fingers lingered amoment too long against my cheek, and his eyes softened, just barely.

“I was worried,” he murmured, his voice low, though there was an edge to it I couldn’t ignore. “I thought something had happened to you.”

The fury knotted tighter in my chest, but I forced myself to keep my expression calm. “I’m fine.”

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