Page 56 of A Cage of Crystal

At least she said yes to dinner tonight.

Teryn let that warm his heart as he left the stairwell, left Cora to proceed with her work alone, but it did little to calm his nerves. He trusted Cora’s powers, knew she was so much stronger than anyone gave her credit for. And yet, he couldn’t shake how she’d looked when he’d first climbed the staircase and saw her standing frozen, staring at…

At…

Teryn’s mind went blank.

Hadn’t she been staring at something? Something she’d held in her hand? The more he tried to remember, the hazier his thoughts became. That in itself was worrisome, not to mention the fate of Cora’s lady’s maid, Lurel. His muscles tightened, begging him to turn around. Begging him to take up post next to her useless guards and ensure she was safe every moment she spent in there.

But he couldn’t.

He wouldn’t.

He’d trust her. Believe in her.

Because he knew there were few others who did right now.

He released his worries in a heavy sigh and made his way through the castle halls…only to realize he hadn’t a clue where he was going. This was only his second time at Ridine, and the first had been so fraught with tension that he’d hardly paid heed to the castle’s layout. This time, his arrival had been overshadowed by his single-minded focus to find Cora. Master Arther had greeted him, given him a room, and set an appointment for him to be received by King Dimetreus that evening, but he’d evaded every question Teryn had asked about Cora’s whereabouts. Which had left Teryn to investigate on his own. Thankfully, other members of the castle staff had been far more amenable to his inquiries, especially when they realized who he was. It seemedsomerespected royal title over the influence of two self-righteous lords who’d been given more power than they deserved.

Was Teryn bitter at seeing Cora’s castle swarming with Ulrich’s and Kevan’s guards and staff? Yes. Yes, he was. And was he perhaps growing just a little too protective over her? Also yes, but that simply couldn’t be helped, not after they’d shared that heated, incredible, mind-blowing kiss—

He rounded the next corner and almost collided with a figure coming his way. A feminine yelp had him leaping back a step, but it was followed by a familiar aggrieved tone.

“Ugh. You.” Mareleau’s lip curled at the sight of him.

Teryn returned her sentiment with a flat look. “Ugh. Likewise.” He offered a shallow bow and stepped aside for her to pass. She started to sweep by but faced him with a roll of her eyes.

“I suppose you found her then, with no trouble from my uncles?” Her tone suggested she couldn’t care less, but if that were the case, she could have said nothing at all.

“I did.” He’d meant to keep his expression stony, but admitting he’d found Cora filled his mind with the memory of her lips.

Mareleau’s eyes went wide. “Seven devils, I know that look.”

His cheeks flushed. “What look?”

Her expression softened the slightest bit. “Larylis gets the same one sometimes.”

“And?”

She popped a hip to the side with a huff, as if their continued conversation were becoming more and more offensive to her by the second. Finally, she deigned to answer him, her face impassive while her voice held a note of genuine curiosity. “You like her, don’t you? The princess.”

He gave her a pointed look. “Did you think I was going through all this trouble to see her because I barely tolerated her?”

She shrugged. “I assumed you were tasked with formalizing a betrothal to her now that Larylis was no longer an option. But just because you were assigned as her groom didn’t mean you had to like it.”

He gave her a humorless grin. “We’d both know a thing or two about that situation, wouldn’t we? Regardless of politics, I do like her. She’s part of the reason I was so set against marrying you. That and your revolting personality, of course.”

She scoffed, but she seemed to take his insult in stride. “I’d be offended were I not so completely and utterly grateful for your dislike of me. I suppose we’re even then? You have your beloved and I have mine.”

He gave an exaggerated wince. “Not quite. You see, you and Larylis are already married, while Cora and I must wait a year. So how about we call it even on my wedding night? In the meantime, you can work off your debt to me by directing me toward the keep.”

She crossed her arms. “I’m your queen, not your servant. Besides, I’m going to the kitchen.”

The kitchen. That was on his list of places to visit too. He’d asked Cora to dine with him, but he hoped he could arrange something a little better than a public meal in the dining hall. Something to make up for everything Cora had missed when she’d refused to meet him in the garden at Verlot. He may not have access to a harpist or an elegant candlelit alcove, but he could do something to show her the efforts she hadn’t gotten to see.

“You know where the kitchen is?” he asked.

“No, of course I don’t. But I’m determined to find it, if only to prove to my maids just how incompetent they are. They’ve assured me there’s no chocolate in this castle. Can you imagine? There has to be chocolate. At least chocolate cake.”

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