Page 53 of Shadows of Ruin

Jax blatantly stared at the shadows before glancing at me, wide-eyed. I’d spent so many years concerned about the destruction my shadows might cause outside of actual battles, I rarely let my magic loose. Seeing them interacting with Lana, dancing around her, drawn to her, shocked all of them.

Fates, it shocked me too. With Lana, my magic didn’t seem as horrific. It strengthened, daring my preconceived beliefs to shatter and accept that my shadows could be more than just a death sentence.

Storm sighed. “We’ve spent the last few years as traitors ourselves.”

Lana met my gaze, frowning before looking back at Storm and the others. “So what you’re saying is that Kade,PrinceKade, murders all the traitors in Mysthaven every three years when the Blood Oath is given? And this year in particular will be difficult, since you’re no longer loyal to your king?” Lana asked, hands on her hips.

“Precisely!” Raya yelled, throwing her hands in the air from where she’d resumed pacing in the corner of the training ring. Her footsteps carving a figure eight in the dirt.

“That’s enough information,” I said, earning a furious glare from the woman I’d fallen hard for.

Not just a glare. She took three steps to reach me and shoved her finger into my chest. “You want me to trust you? You want to prove you care at all? That you are sorry for not telling me things?” She pressed up against me now, tapping her finger above my heart to each word. “Then start talking—now.”

Damn it, this woman.

I sighed, waiting for her to back down, even though I knew it wouldn’t happen. I’d have to choose. My secrets, which kept pushing her away, or my truth. Which could get her killed. I needed to protect her from the evil lurking in this castle. I had seen what my father did to things I cared about. He’d inflicted years of pain on my mother, knowing it wouldkeep me in line. He hadn’t had a person to control me with since her death years ago. I shuddered at what he might do to Lana.

“Kade.” Storm said my name and I didn’t need to look at him to know what he’d insist I do.

“She could die,” I growled toward my oldest friend. My first friend, really. One who knew exactly how dangerous this entire thing was.

“I doubt you’d allow that,” he said, trying to smile.

My shadows flared along with my temper. I stepped away from her and toward Storm. “I can’t be everywhere. I can’t lose—” I stopped myself. Stopped and took a breath.

Letting Lana know just how much I needed her would do no one any good. That part needed to stay locked inside. I barely admitted these feelings to myself, I couldn’t admit them out loud. Especially not to her when I was the last person she’d ever willingly rely on again.

Storm refused to relent his unyielding stare. Lana still stood a foot from me, waiting for me to disappoint her again.

Damn it.A part of me, a quiet part, agreed with Storm. Letting her in was the right thing to do.

I had to tell her something. Tell her almost everything, most likely. And pray to the Fates that it didn’t ruin it all. I blinked once, in time with a deep breath.

“About three years ago, we decided we didn’t like the way the king was running our lands,” I said. Lana’s shoulders relaxed and her face brightened. She hadn’t expected me to actually open up. “As I’m sure you’ve noticed in the brief moments you’ve seen him, he is dark. There is an evil to him that is unexplainable. We didn’t approve of his tyranny. While he trained me, used me as a monster to do his bidding for my entire life, it has escalated over the past few years. Even my magic, my shadows, began to rebel against his commands. So we decided to do something about it.”

“No, no, you’re leaving parts out,” Jax interjected.

I grimaced, shooting him a look, wishing it would shut him up. “What part?”

“Cassandra.” He turned to Lana. “You saw her come with our healer, Nadia, to take Storm. Cassandra is our seer.”

Lana’s eyebrows shot up.

“She gave Kade a prophecy.” Jax grinned, wiggling his eyebrows. “Something about rebels, which provided the additional encouragement that our tyrant king should be put in his place.”

It took most of my willpower to keep from knocking Jax out. A good fist to the face might remind him to bite his tongue. Storm’s smirk didn’t help the situation either. He was all for letting Jax run his mouth and tell her everything. How could they not see how dangerous this was for her?

“You better sit, Princess. This is a tale that will knock you off your feet if you’re this into it already,” Jax quipped as he sat himself along the edge of the training pit, pulling an apple from his pocket. The man never stopped eating. It was like he had a damn tree down his fucking pants.

Lana didn’t move. She barely even acknowledged Jax. Instead, she took one step toward me, mouth still open. I cocked my head to the side, watching her. Confusion danced across her face. I wanted to know what made her look that way. She knew of seers—Vivienne lived at the palace in Brookmere. So why the strange look?

I waved my hand at Lana to take a seat near Jax, if it was what she wished to do. She closed her mouth, blinking a few times before she stood straighter and snapped out of whatever had come over her.

Once her back turned to me, I gave Jax a look that said,you better behave, or else.

He shrugged, biting into his apple. Storm took a seat as well, but Raya still paced. I’d have to make sure what I said didn’t involve more than she knew. Which should be a safeamount of information for Lana. As safe as it could be, at least.

“Now that you're comfortable, Jax, may I continue?”

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