“No… I want to know. This-”
 
 “Come with me, and I will grant you your heart’s desire, even if it is beyond the land of the living. What you wish shall be yours.”
 
 I freeze, my heart thudding as I turn to the man.
 
 “What?” I whisper.
 
 “Your Fath-”
 
 Loud banging makes my eyes fly open, my heart squeezing as I wish I could fall back into that sleep to know what he’s saying.
 
 “You’re late, Rossi!”
 
 “Maralai?” I ask groggily, trying to get my bearings.
 
 “Yeah! Now get up, Shahira said you refused to wake up!”
 
 “Oh shoot! Thanks for waking me!” I exclaim, kicking off my duvet. I can’t believe I missed my alarm!
 
 I grab my phone, my heart skipping a beat at the messages from a number I don’t recognise.
 
 Jayce…
 
 He sent the images, but that’s it, no message along with them… I feel a bit disappointed, but what was I expecting? That a moment where emotions were heightened meant something? The only thing keeping me from completely dismissing what happened is the fact that I was not in my demon form; I was just me, and the way he was looking at me…
 
 My heart thumps, and I hold my phone to my chest, remembering the way he motioned to tell me that Ahren was there. I can’t help but smile. That’s the most un-Jayce-like thing he’s done in front of me.
 
 It was cute.
 
 Not to mention how drool-worthy he looked. Gods, is he perfection. He is built like a god, and I want to be pressed against him once more, feel his firm arms around me. My stomach leaps, and I bite my lip.
 
 I want him. The fear I felt somehow transformed into this… or maybe being around him just made what was already there more obvious.
 
 I look down at my phone and simply like the photos. I don’t want to appear needy; I’m going to work on these. I’m glad that he’ll have more people to help crack the language, but I also want to be the first to get him answers.
 
 Iwillbe the first.
 
 Feeling happy, I get ready, for once, not dreading lessons. As long as I keep myself distracted, maybe the chaos in my mind won’t consume me. I still feel guilty about the barriers…
 
 I walk down the hall when a notification pops up on my Schattensicht. Uncle Leo, or should I say the King, wants to see me. My stomach knots with nerves as I wonder what he wants to say. I change direction, heading towards the meeting room instead, now feeling nervous.
 
 I knock on the door and step inside. There’s only Leo there, smoking as he looks through some folders. He doesn’t look happy. His cold eyes flick up, and I stand there awkwardly.
 
 “Take a seat,” he commands, flipping the file he was looking at shut and sitting back, but not before I see some of the drawings of the training facility.
 
 Oh gods, he’s probably so pissed.
 
 I glance at the file, trying to hide my panic as I look back up at him.
 
 “You did quite a number on the training room,” he remarks, a hint of a ruthless smirk on his face. Is that supposed to make him look less intimidating? Because it doesn’t. He looks like he’s going to eat me alive.
 
 “Sorry,” I reply. “It was an accident.”
 
 “It’s a good accident. So, how is your training going? Jayce seems to have faith in you. Is that faith justified?”
 
 My heart skips a beat at the mention of Jayce, and I feel as if he can read my mind.
 
 “I wouldn’t know; I mean, I didn’t do great…” I lost control. I ruined everything. “After all, I’m the reason those witches got inside.”