Page 94 of A Tale of Treachery

I wouldn’t make it back to Cambriel, not at this rate.

I squeezed my eyes closed and slowed my breathing, focusing on the one place in this world where I’d ever felt safe. The sanctum.

I could see the mess of Redmond’s study and pictured him sitting in that worn-out old armchair, sipping tea. I smelled the leatherbound books and the slight whiff of tobacco that filled the air. It was the one place that I wished to be. I would kill for the chance to see Redmond’s face one last time.

A buzzing sound filled my ears, and a sudden whirlwind centered around my prone body, blowing my cloak wildly in the air. Then I screamed.

I was falling, plummeting through the ground and the earth’s core. My body was weightless as I seemed to transcend time and space, and out of nowhere, I slammed into the hardwood floor of Redmond’s study, my limbs flailing as I fell back into the position I’d been in, on my hands and knees.

“Oh, my gods, Dahlia. What just happened?” Redmond was hovering over me, his hands all over me and pulling me up from where I’d appeared.

He braced my face in his hands as he searched my eyes, my hair a tangled mess and plastered on my forehead. I opened my mouth to speak, but a sob tore its way from my chest.

I’d sifted home. I’d sifted away from that nightmare, and now was safe in Redmond’s arms.

I cried and held onto him tightly, hiccupping sobs taking the place of words.

Redmond held me with firm arms and waited until my cries died.

“It’s over, Redmond. The portal is open.” I burrowed my face into his shoulder. “It was Ryken’s power that was keeping it sealed, but he took his power back. And now we’re all doomed.”

Redmond pulled away from me, his brows furrowing as he processed my words. His breath hitched when he spotted the bite mark on my neck, immediately knowing what it stood for. “I’m so sorry…”

I was a blubbering mess.

The door of the study cracked open, and George entered, his eyes taking in the scene before him. “The king wishes to speak with you.”

I panicked. It had to be about the portal. The king must have heard already, although I didn’t know how. The portal was at least half a day’s journey away.

Redmond brushed him off with a stern look. “I’ll meet with him after breakfast.”

George bristled at Redmond’s tone. “Not you. Her. And it’s not a request.”

I winced at the demand. Why would the king want to meet with me? I ran my fingers through my hair to straighten the mess and wiped my eyes with the sleeve of my cloak, straightening my spine to deal with whatever would come next.

Nothing could make the night I’d just had any worse.

I should have known better.

* * *

I followed quietly behind George.We’d entered the palace and gone up the grand staircase, taking a left at the top, even though the king’s offices were to the right. My hands twisted together as I tried to figure out what was going on. George was acting weird. There was no easy banter or conversation. He strode through the halls with a tense posture and his back to me, directly to Aiden’s chambers.

I’d thought I was meeting with the king.

George pushed open the door to Aiden’s sitting room and waved me in. Aiden was sitting on the couch, his arms braced over either side of the backrest as his eyes narrowed on me with a seething glare. Brandon sat across from him, his shoulders slumped and his gaze focused on his boots, as if they were the most fascinating thing in the world.

Suddenly uneasy, I straightened my cloak and pushed back my hair. I was sure I looked a mess with my red-rimmed eyes. “I thought I was meeting with your father.”

Aiden glanced at our friends. “Out.”

George held the door open for his brother, the latter keeping his eyes on the ground as he exited. The door closed behind me, and Aiden crooked his fingers, wordlessly indicating for me to come closer.

“Sit.”

I sat next to him, my body straight as the hairs on the back of my neck rose. What was with the attitude and single-word demands?

“Where is the king? I thought he wanted to meet with me.”

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