“He did?”
“He said he’s never heard of or knew any that glowed silver.”
“Neither have I,” he said. “But no other bloodline makes sense. The only other thing I can think of also doesn’t make sense.”
“And what would that be?”
“That neither of your parents were purely mortal. But if that were the case, and you’re a mixture of two lines, it seems hard to believe that both your mother and father would’ve gone unnoticed by the Ascended.”
“And that would mean that Ian would also be part Atlantian.”
“Possibly.”
My heart tripped over itself. Casteel was right. It didn’t make sense. Because why would Ian have Ascended then?
If he actually had.
“It is possible that you come from an empath line that was rare and older,” Casteel said. “Just because we haven’t heard of or seen it, doesn’t mean it didn’t exist.”
He was right.
Something occurred to me then as I watched the western sky. “Was Jasper chosen as the speaker for his people because Alastir was already your parents’ advisor?”
“Alastir could’ve been both, but Jasper…well, he has a sense for things. Not like you. He’s just more in tune with people and even animals.”
I thought about that. “Kieran’s the same way, isn’t he?”
His chin grazed the top of my head. “Jasper once said there was a Seer somewhere in his bloodline—a changeling—and he’d gotten a watered-down version. When I was younger, I used to think he was just telling stories, but he seemed to know things. Like when it was about to storm, or what side to hedge his bets on. Sometimes, he knew what I was going to do before I even did it.”
Just like Kieran.
“And Vonetta isn’t like that?”
“She takes after her mother more—well, except for the cooking, but definitely the ass-kicking,” he said.
I smiled. “I asked Jasper if he expected you to marry.”
There was no tensing or stiffening as he said, “And what did he say?”
“That he didn’t,” I told him, closing my eyes. “That’s what I don’t understand.”
“Poppy—”
“I mean, I don’t understand how the speaker for the wolven doesn’t expect you to marry a wolven, but some of your people do. Other wolven did.” Namely Landell. “And, apparently, your father. And I guess even Alastir at one point.”
“Well, Alastir did expect it. I know that for sure. I’m almost confident it was his idea,” he said, confirming my suspicions. “After all, Gianna is his great-niece—Beckett’s older cousin.”
“What?” I opened my eyes just as I heard the distant call of a songbird. A signal that was answered with a closer call and then by one of the Guardians, who stood at the other end of the Rise.
“They’re back,” Casteel said.
I turned in his arms, our gazes meeting for the briefest of moments, and then we both moved. We weren’t the only ones hurrying to the courtyard. Alastir and Jasper were right behind us, along with Kieran.
Emil and Vonetta lifted the barricade, and the heavy iron doors parted as Casteel strode to the center. I squinted, seeing nothing—
Then ahead, on the dirt road, a white blur racing towards us—white fur matted with reddish-brown.
“Shit,” Casteel grunted, running out the doors. Someone else cursed, shouting for him to stay back, but he was already halfway to Delano.
Who was hurt.
Who was also alone.
I took off, the cloak billowing out behind me.
“Dammit.” That was definitely Kieran.
I didn’t slow down, reaching Casteel and Delano just as the wolven collapsed, sending clouds of dirt into the air. My heart stopped as I read the fiery agony in him. The physical pain snapped my senses open in the way they had before I woke the day before. The cord stretched out, connecting with him, and the pain caused my steps to falter.
Kieran caught my arm, righting me. I started to thank him, but he was already past me as Casteel dropped to his knees.
I reached them just as Jasper did. “Why am I not surprised that both the Prince and our soon-to-be Princess are outside the walls of safety?” he said.
“Welcome to my world,” Kieran muttered.
“He’s in pain,” I said, moving to where Casteel knelt. Once I did, I could see the wound in Delano’s side, under his front leg—his right arm. The blood there was fresher, leaking from a puncture wound.