ora

had found for me. It was simple, elegant, with a slit tha

one, carrying no invitation and weari

doors to a private, gilded rune-lift sliding sh

and slipped through the gap ju

. The royal crest of Kensington, a magnificent golden

n't a

wore a perfectly tailored black dragon-scale tunic, the shoulders ad

family posses

him. The guard's eyes locked on me, and his h

bdomen. "I apologize," I murmured

e next floor, but the tall

to l

pair of ice-blue eyes. They were as cold and sharp a

aric Kensington.

ouchable, and completely

er my face for a fraction of a second. I felt like prey pinned by

ring of dark green beads betw

t him with a limp, but he stood perfectly st

" the guard,

g spoke. His voice was a low, resonant ba

ra Nu

away from the capital for years, avoiding all social

he know

manded submission, yet a strange, r

g his teeth in disbelief. In all his years of service, he had lik

ave his glasses a slight pus

a soft chime, revealing the glit

glance at me, his steps firm and

last look filled with suspi

lded cage, my heart ham

lan. I had never imagined I would come fa

in to steady my racing pulse. I needed to

re Ethan and Cassia.

mposed myself, and step

royal transport and bowed low, immediately ushe

ped from the ceiling. Nobles in their finest scale-patterned gown

d Cassia held court at the main

t them, to a quie

rolling those dark bea

eyes were fixed