Just as he’d done when he left to kill the Queen and King of Solis.
And that meant that Casteel truly understood the likelihood that Spessa’s End wouldn’t hold until or if reinforcements arrived.
“You took an oath to protect me, and you will,” Casteel said. “You’re not running away from the battle. You will be keeping safe what is most important to me, and that is Poppy.”
I jolted. “Wait. What?”
“You will leave with them. It will be hard,” he said, still holding Kieran’s gaze. “There will be no breaks, and you will need to listen to everything Kieran tells you, especially when it’s night in the mountains, but—”
“I’m not leaving,” I cut him off.
“You can’t be here,” Casteel replied. “Not when they come. This is not up for discussion.”
I shot to my feet. “Let me make one thing clear. I don’t know if you realize this or not, Casteel, but I’m not duty-bound to obey a single thing you say.”
Casteel stiffened.
“And maybe you should actually look at me when you try to order me to do things,” I tacked on.
He turned to me, his head cocked. “I’m looking at you now.”
“But are you listening?”
“Oh, man,” Delano murmured under his breath as the rest of the room went dead silent. “Someone is getting stabbed again.”
Someone, I think it was Jasper, snorted.
“Oh, I’m listening,” Casteel replied. “Maybe you should try that. Along with this thing called common sense.”
“Definitely getting stabbed,” Kieran confirmed.
I stepped around the table, aware that Delano appeared to be sinking into his chair. “Are you serious?”
“Are you armed?” Casteel asked with a smirk. “You are, aren’t you?”
“I’m so confused by what is happening here,” Nova whispered with a slight frown.
“Apparently, she already stabbed him once,” Jasper informed the Guardian. “In the heart.”
Nova looked at me.
“And she cut me earlier tonight. Threw a knife right at my face another time,” Casteel ticked off his fingers. “Then this one time, in the woods, she—”
“No one wants to hear about how many times I’ve made you bleed,” I snapped.
“I do,” Jasper remarked.
Emil raised his hand. “So do I.”
“Look, not only is it not wise for the one thing they want to be here within their grasp, I don’t want to worry about you handing yourself over,” Casteel stated. “You know…like before.”
“That is not a mistake I will make again,” I stated.
“But you were just thinking about it, weren’t you?” He stepped to the side so Delano was no longer seated between us.
“I was,” I admitted. “For a couple of minutes. But you were right.”
His brows lifted. “Blessed be the gods, someone mark the date and time. She just admitted I was right.”
“Oh, shut up,” I bit back.
“Fine with me. Conversation is over. You’ll leave with Alastir and Kieran immediately.” He started to turn.
“I am not leaving.” I lifted my chin when he spun back to me. “You’ll have to make me. You’ll have to drag me all the way to Atlantia yourself.”
His chin dipped as anger pounded through him, reaching me. “Or I could just compel you.”
My skin went cold. “You wouldn’t dare.”
His jaw flexed, and then he spat out a curse. The ice left me. He wouldn’t do that. “This is different, Poppy. Different than the Rise or the Craven or the Dead Bones Clan.”
“You should leave,” the Guardian spoke. “I saw what you can do—out there with Delano. But that will be of no use when it’s time to fight. You will be nothing but a distraction to our Prince. You will be a liability.”
Slowly, I turned to the woman. “Excuse me?”
Nova stared back at me. “I mean no offense. I’m only stating facts.”
“Your facts are grossly incorrect,” I told her. “Just to point out the most obvious of your inaccuracies, what I did for Delano would actually come in handy when and if people are injured. That,”—I sent a dark look in Casteel’s direction—“is common sense.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“As far as me being a liability? I’m just as good with a sword as I am with a bow, and I’m damn good with a bow. Probably better than most here. I am an asset,” I said. “And as far as being a distraction to Casteel, that’s his weakness. Not mine.”