Page 86 of The Gilded Cage

She reached for the portrait then, trailing her fingers gently along the edge.

“I know what it’s like to have your family taken from you,” Kiva said hoarsely. “To feel that emptiness — thatpain— and fear it’s never going to leave you.”

Caldon’s throat bobbed.

“I know how it feels to be left with nothing but darkness,” Kiva went on, before offering a quiet, dangerous admission. “I know what it’s like tobecomethat darkness, how consuming it is. It’s so much easier to hide in the night than to fight for the light.”

Gods, did she know that.

“I also know how tempting it is not to feel any of those things,” Kiva whispered. “To shut everyone out so you never have to experience that kind of agony again. I know, Cal.I know.”

He uncrossed his arms, his eyes shining with the hint of tears.

“My family was taken from me ten years ago,” Kiva continued to whisper. “What I did today was wrong, but can you really tell me that if you were given the choice, you wouldn’t do whatever it took to be reunited with your parents again?”

It was a low blow, using his own heartache against him, but nothing Kiva had said was a lie — not this time.

“I truly am sorry,” Kiva said quietly. “More than you’ll ever know.”

Caldon’s jaw was clenched tight, but as he looked at Kiva and saw the genuine remorse on her face, he finally loosened it and sighed loudly, before ordering, “Get over here.”

Kiva hesitated, worried that he was about to throw her out.

But then Caldon was moving toward her, his strides long and swift, until suddenly he was drawing her startled body into his arms.

“Don’t ever scare me like that again, do you hear me?” he whispered into her ear. He pulled back to hold her eyes, adding much more firmly, “And if you ever —ever— drug me again, I’ll throw your ass in the dungeon for a week. Maybe more. Is that clear?”

Kiva nodded, stunned by his embrace, by his forgiveness.

“You’re right — you screwed up today,” Caldon went on. “But you’re also right that, if ever there was a reason to act as foolishly as you did, then at least it should be for family.” He stepped back, putting some space between them, while still remaining close. “Jaren came and told me everything I missed. I hope your siblings come tomorrow, if only so we can see if they’re worth all the fuss you caused today.”

Kiva’s insides tumbled at the reminder.

“Are they?”

She blinked at the two almost snapped words. “Are they what?”

“Are they worth it?” Caldon asked, his face serious. “You risked a lot to reunite with them. But despite that, you came back to us afterward. You’re staying with us, not them — that says something.”

As Zuleeka had said over a week earlier, Kiva could hardly spy on the royals from inside the rebel camp. And yet ... She considered Caldon’s words, wondering where she would choose to live if it were up to her.

She knew the answer immediately, panic hitting her as she realized how comfortable she was at the palace — not because of how lavish it was, but because of who she shared it with.

Everworld help her.

Needing to regain a sense of control, Kiva forced a wry grin to her face and asked, “Are you kicking me out?”

Caldon rolled his eyes. “It’s becoming a full-time job to look after you, so no.” His head angled to the side. “Not unless you give me a reason to.”

“I’m notthatmuch trouble,” Kiva argued, if only to keep from admitting that there weremultiplereasons why he should keep her away from his family.

“I beg to differ,” he said. “Kidnapped by rebels, attacked by Mirravens, disappearing to places unknown in misguided attempts to visit —”

“Wait,” Kiva cut in. “What do you mean, attacked by Mirravens?”

Caldon leaned a hip against his desk. “I think there was more to your abduction than we understand. Jaren, Naari, Veris — they weren’t there. But after I cleared the building of rebels and came to get you, that next group that ambushed us ... I don’t think they were connected to the first. I think they wanted something different.That’swhy I was so worried about you today — I thought Mirraven had captured you.”

Kiva blanched, recalling that Caldon had already aired his suspicions after the incident and he’d been ignored. But if what he said was true —

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