“Kill the queen?” Kane asks, his hand going to the dagger on his hip. “Me first.”
Finn shakes his head at his . . . his friend? His sentry? “She would carve you up and stake you to the front lawn as an example.”
Kane scowls.
I sigh. “If the only way to get the mirror is to have the queen or the prince give it to me, I will ask Prince Ronan to retrieve it for me.”
“Are you serious?” Kane asks. “You think the prince is just going to hand over a precious artifact?”
“Yes,” I say, and my guilt is already weighing me down. “He cares for me, and he wants to make amends for his deception.”
Pretha smiles slowly, and she nods. “The simplest path is usually the best. In the meantime, we’ll train you as planned, and I’ll look into the counterspell just in case. If the prince won’t give it to you, we’ll find a way for you to steal it.”
“But ask nicely, Princess,” Finn says. “Trust me when I say you don’t want to have to do this the hard way.”
Chapter Thirteen
I FIND SEBASTIAN IN THE TRAINING RING on the roof of the highest turret, shirtless, his bare chest glistening with sweat in the glow of the setting sun.
He’s sparring with another shirtless male. I try to take note of the stranger’s golden hair or the tattoo that runs down the side of his neck and over his shoulder—but I can hardly take my eyes off Sebastian long enough to catalogue anything about his partner. And worse? I can’t get my mouth to form the words I need to let him know I’m here.
It’s not just his physique that makes me nearly mute. It’s the reminder of those days in Fairscape. The times I’d pretend to read while watching him train in the courtyard. The times he’d catch me watching and wink over his shoulder, and the way that simple gesture sent a flurry of butterflies through me. He and Jas were the bright spots in a dark and difficult existence; it’s a struggle not to let myself cling to him when I feel like I’ve lost them both.
Sebastian spots me and gestures to his partner for a break. He grabs a towel and uses it to wipe the sweat off his brow. “Is everything okay?”
Words, Brie. Use your words. “I’m fine. I just . . .” I swallow. “I wanted to talk to you. But I can go if this is a bad time.” I wince. Catching him up here seemed like a good idea, but now I feel presumptuous. Never mind that I don’t want to draw too much attention to what I’m about to request from him. “I didn’t mean to cut your workout short.”
“Don’t leave,” Sebastian says. “We were just finishing up.” He pours a glass of water and offers it to me. When I shake my head, he tilts the glass to his lips and drains it. I’m captivated by the movement of his throat as he swallows.
The other male catches me staring and his chest shakes in silent laughter. He winks at me knowingly before pulling a dark shirt over his head. “He can’t keep up with me anyway,” he says. “The prince went soft while he was in the human realm.”
Sebastian grunts. “You lost three of five rounds. I wouldn’t be too cocky if I were you.”
“Before you left, I would have lost all five.” He shrugs and smiles as he offers me his hand. “I’m Riaan. You must be the captivating and heart-stealing Abriella I’ve heard so much about.”
My cheeks blaze—at that description and at the thought of Sebastian talking about me in those terms—but I manage a nod. “It’s nice to meet you, Riaan. Do you two train together often?”
Riaan shakes his head. “Not nearly as often as we used to. This one’s too busy for me. Preparing to be king. Choosing a bride.” He shoots me a meaningful look, then adds, “Though if you ask me, he should just grovel until you agree to take the position.”
I open my mouth, then snap it shut again, turning to Sebastian before I say anything incriminating.
“Riaan’s my oldest friend,” Sebastian says softly.
“Your secret’s safe with me,” Riaan says with a wink. He fills a glass of water and lifts it in mock salute before heading down the stairs and leaving Sebastian and me alone on the rooftop.
“I shouldn’t have interrupted,” I say, still thinking about what Riaan said. Maybe it would be easier to hold a grudge against Sebastian if I didn’t know he returned the feelings I’ve harbored from the day we met, but every reminder tests my convictions.
He waves away my concern. “We were finishing up anyway. My mother wants him to accompany her to the north this afternoon.”