I couldn’t sleep.

After leaving Aerden, I spent most of the night tossing and turning in my bed, feeling guilty that he was sleeping on a floor somewhere while I had every comfort in the world.

It was difficult to see him there, dirty and wounded, but deep down, I knew my sleeplessness was about more than that.

I’d originally gone to see him, because I wanted to confront him about the key. To ask him why he’d given it to me when he’d known it was something meant to keep him safe. And I wanted to know exactly why he’d left the castle in the first place.

But seeing him again after our months apart, I realized I was terrified to ask him the truth.

And I’d been nervous as hell to tell him about Kael and the fact that I was expected to marry another demon.

But if Aerden and I were nothing more than friends, why did I think he would care? I doubted Aerden would want me to marry anyone who didn’t have my best interests at heart, but it was more than that. I knew the news would hurt him.

I turned over in my soft bed and brought a pillow to my face so I could scream into it without anyone in the next room hearing me.

What was truly happening between Aerden and me?

In my mind, I was simply going to visit a dear, old friend and make sure he was okay before the games. But in my heart, the moment I had turned to see him standing there, I knew he meant much more to me than any friend.

I could still feel the soft touch of his hand on my face.

When had this happened? During our months at Brighton Manor? Or had there been something between us before, when we were shadowlings?

I’d been told at a very early age that Denaer—who would, of course, someday change his name to Jackson—was to be my future mate. We were promised at birth, and as a dutiful princess, I had never questioned it or thought of wanting someone else. It was simply the way it was meant to be.

And I loved him.

But I loved Aerden, too. The three of us were nearly inseparable as shadowlings, always adventuring and training together. I cared for them both. The only difference was that Jackson was meant to be more and Aerden was not.

Thinking back to it now, I wasn’t sure if that spark of electricity had existed before last night. I couldn’t remember ever looking at Aerden and feeling that way before, but there was no denying that it had been there last night when he’d gathered me into his arms and pulled me close.

I’d wanted to hold onto him forever. To know what it was like to be kissed by him.

I closed my eyes and screamed into the pillow again.

This couldn’t be happening. Maybe the stress of being in the castle and having to pretend to be someone I wasn’t was making me think I felt more for him than I really did. It was just the happiness of seeing an old friend, right? Of seeing someone who knew me for the Lea I truly was?

That had to be it.

Of course I cared for Aerden and was happy to see him. I wanted him to be safe, and the way I felt for him was no different than if it had been Mordecai standing there last night, or Joost.

But the moment that thought came to me, I knew it was a lie.

The butterflies that fluttered through me every time I pictured Aerden’s eyes on mine was not simply because he was any friend.

It was because he was Aerden.

Dammit.

I couldn’t let this happen. As much as I wanted to keep him safe and get us both back to the Southern Kingdom, I simply couldn’t allow myself to feel more for him than friendship.

I had tried love once, and look where it had gotten me.

And yes, there was a part of me that hoped Aerden felt the same way when he saw me last night, but once upon a time, I’d believed Jackson loved me, too. The way men fell in and out of love was confusing and hurtful. It couldn’t be trusted.

I wouldn’t open my heart to anyone like that ever again. I wasn’t sure I’d survive it a second time.

Aerden was nothing more than a friend to me. One I cared for very deeply. There would never be anything more to it than that. Period. Thinking there could be more would only distract me, and I couldn’t afford that type of distraction right now. I had a lot of things to do before the end of the King’s Games.

“Princess?” Presha came into the room and frowned at the pillow pressed to my mouth. “Are you feeling alright?”

I sat up and tossed the pillow aside. “I’m fine,” I said. “Is it time to get dressed?”

“Yes, Princess,” she said. “There is an early meal in honor of your father this morning in the dining room. He requested your presence, specifically. I believe only members of the council will be present.”

I lifted my eyes in surprise. Members of the council only? Was Ezrah’s one wish coming true?

The one thing the Resistance seemed to want from me right now was information about the council’s meetings. They wanted to know my father’s plans. Only, now, I wondered if they were really my father’s plans at all.

“That sounds wonderful,” I said, standing.

She helped me into the bath and later, into a soft pink dress that whispered across the floor when I walked.

As she and the other girls braided my hair, I asked questions about Kael as innocently as I could.

“What do you know of him?” I asked.

“What would you like to know?” Presha asked.

I shrugged. “Everything, I guess. I’m supposed to be mated to him, after all, and I know almost nothing about him except what he looks like.”

One of the handmaidens giggled, and when I glanced at her, her cheeks were the color of raspberries. She ducked her head, and Presha snapped at her.

“Don’t be disrespectful, girl. He is not intended for you.”

“It’s fine,” I said, smiling at the girl. “He is quite handsome, isn’t he?”

She blushed again and nodded.

“What else have you heard about him?” I asked. “Do you know where he grew up? Or when he came to the city?”

Presha focused on my braids but didn’t seem too suspicious of my questions. She also didn’t know much more than I did.

“He’s been here for a short time only,” she said. “Maybe twenty years or so? I’m not sure where he came from, but he was the talk of the city when he first arrived.”

“How so?” I asked.

“The rumor was that he simply walked through the gates one morning and went straight to the castle, demanding a meeting with the king himself,” she said. “For a while, some told the story that he almost killed a guard who refused to let him in, but I don’t think you should worry about that, Princess. I believe that was nothing more than a rumor.”

I seriously doubted that.

“He sounds very confident in himself,” I said.

“Oh, yes, he is. In fact, with the king in such poor health, Kael often runs the council meetings, from what I’ve heard,” she said. “He is very well trusted by the king.”

I raised an eyebrow at this.

Tatiana had warned me that the council existed in name only these days and that someone else had taken control, but I wasn’t certain she meant Kael until just now. If even a handmaiden realized how much power he’d claimed for himself over the past several years, then it must be known by almost everyone in the city.

They already saw him as the right hand of the king. A marriage to me would only solidify his standing.

How the heck had he managed that in such a short period of time?

“Presha, may I ask you a difficult question?”

She met my eyes in the mirror and nodded. “I can’t promise I’ll be able to answer it, but you may ask me anything you wish, of course.”

“What happened to my father?” I asked. “Why is he in such poor health?”

She and another girl exchanged glances, and at first, no one said a word. Finally, though, Presha cleared her throat and gave me an answer.

“He began to grow weaker shortly after you came to the castle for the last time,” Presha said. “Many believe his illness is the result of a broken heart. That’s why this festival is so incredibly important. Many demons here in the city are hopeful that your return will restore his health.”

Guilt rolled through me in waves. Was that true? Could heartache and regret cause a demon as strong as my father to deteriorate so quickly?

I shook my head. I refused to believe this was all because of a broken heart. I had begged my father to help get Aerden back and to go after Jackson once he disappeared into the human world. He knew I intended to follow them both if he didn’t help me, and yet he refused, calling me a traitor.

I knew he wasn’t happy to see me go, but he hadn’t stopped me back then, and he hadn’t done one single thing to help me. Besides, it wasn’t like he was truly happy to see me when his guards brought me back here.

No, he had thrown me in the dungeons like a piece of trash.

There had to be more to his illness.

And I wanted to find out the truth, no matter what kind of danger it put me in here in the city.

The problem was, I had no idea where to start. I rarely ever got a chance to get close to my father, and I wasn’t sure that asking him about it directly would get me anything more than a trip back to the dungeons below.

My mother acted like nothing was wrong, so I doubted she would tell me anything useful, either. Aerden’s mother, Tatiana, had talked to me truthfully more than anyone else here so far, so maybe she was a good one to try to talk to about my father.

Still, I wasn’t sure I could trust her, either. For whatever reason, she wanted me labeled a traitor, too, and I couldn’t forget that. Maybe last night’s conversation was just her way of luring me into a trap where she could prove that I was not as happy to be home as I pretended to be.

Then there was the matter of the book she had taken from Trention.

Other than that, my only ally here in the castle was Ezrah. I was so focused on getting to Aerden last night that I hadn’t thought to ask Ezrah about Kael. If I found a chance to see him again without bringing any suspicion to his loyalties, I would ask him, but I was anxious to find out more now. I didn’t want to wait.

Patience had never been one of my virtues.

“Are you ready, Princess?” Presha asked. “The king will be waiting.”

I studied my appearance in the mirror, once again wishing I could just wear jeans. But there was nothing to be done about it right now. I just had to be a snake in the grass for a little while longer.

Maybe when this tournament was over, Aerden and I would be free to talk without having to sneak around. We could figure out how to escape from the city.

We could go home.

“I’m ready,” I said.

“Come with me,” she said. “I’ll lead you to the dining room.”

I rolled my eyes. She said it as if I had no idea where the dining room was in this castle, even though this had been my home much longer than it had been hers.

I followed her through the doorway, but before we could take more than a handful of steps, Kael appeared in the hallway and bowed to me.

“Good morning, Princess.” He offered his arm to me and smiled. “May I escort you to the dining hall?”

I wanted to choke that conceited smile off his pretty face, but instead, I smiled and put my hand on his arm.

“It would be my pleasure,” I said.

Let him think his threats last night had rattled me. Maybe if he believed I was falling in line, he would open up to me. We were, after all, supposed to be spending the rest of our immortal lives together. If he believed I was on his side, maybe he would begin to trust me enough to let me in on whatever his plans were for this city.

There was no doubt he had come here specifically with the intention of someday becoming king. And I wanted to know why.

“It’s a lovely morning,” he said as we walked. “I thought perhaps after the meal this morning, we could take a walk through the gardens together.”

“Whatever suits you,” I said. “I would like to get to know you better if we’re to spend a life as mates.”

He raised an eyebrow at that. “It’s good to see you warming up to the idea,” he said. “If I’m being honest, I thought it would take more time for you to agree to be my queen.”

I bit my tongue. I hardly believed he was being honest about anything, but it would no doubt make his ascension to the throne much smoother to have the princess next to him. And I had no doubt that as soon as we were officially mated, my father’s life would come to an end.

What would happen to our people then? I found it difficult to believe that a demon who had suggested the return of the King’s Games would be a kind and loving king.

The thought made me shudder. If he honestly thought I would simply sit back and allow him to rule this kingdom while I took long walks in the garden, he was delusional.

“If I feel that you’re truly committed to going through with this marriage, it will make things much easier on you here in the castle,” he said.

“Why is that?” I asked.

“How much freedom have you had so far since you were brought up from the dungeons?”

I glanced over at him, surprised he would bring that up so openly with so many demons walking through these hallways. After last night’s speech of lies from my parents, most demons here believed I had come home on my own after a long battle against the Order.

“If you are aware of my time in the dungeons, then you’re no doubt also aware of the handmaidens and guards who have been watching my every move since I was freed,” I said.

He smiled. An expression I was starting to hate with the fire of six suns.

“Well, what would you say if I told you I was the one responsible for making sure you were brought up here in the first place and given your old room?” he asked. “The council was nervous about giving you much freedom when your loyalties were still in question, so I suggested assigning several handmaidens to guard you and watch over you.”

I bristled at this. So, he was openly admitting that he controlled the council.

“Perhaps if I convince the council you are also devoted to our future marriage, they will agree to give you a bit more freedom around here,” he said. “Of course, if you break my trust in any way or give me any reason to suspect you are not entirely loyal to me and this kingdom, the consequences could be very uncomfortable for you.”

He was resorting to threats, already? Who did this guy think he was?

We walked for a few moments in silence, and we smiled at everyone who passed, as if we were some happy couple taking a casual stroll through the halls of the castle, but as soon as we moved into a more secluded area, he paused and turned to me.

“Do I not get so much as a simple thank you for all that I’ve already done for you, Lazalea?” he asked.

I stopped, and it took me a second to realize he was being completely serious.

“Thank you?” I said it more as a question, but he seemed to be okay with that.

“You’re welcome,” he said. He took a few steps forward, but then he turned again, and this time there was cruelty in his eyes. “Except I have one issue I think needs to be addressed between us.”

He backed me into a corner, and I glanced around, hoping to see at least a guard or a handmaiden. Anyone who was witnessing this exchange. But there was no one near us.

“Imagine my concern last night after the feast when I wanted to have one final dance with you before the evening was over,” he said. “Imagine how it felt to look everywhere and not find the one demon who should be most devoted to me and waiting to see if I would summon her.”

“Summon?” I asked, my anger rising despite his threatening tone.

“Yes, summon. You exist here, Princess, because I found it in my best interest to have you here. There is no other reason,” he said. “Your mother and father and the other members of the council would have been more than happy to let you rot away in those dungeons for decades. You are only here because I want you here. And yet, when I summoned you, you were nowhere to be found. Why is that?”

I lifted my chin, even though he was much bigger than I was and was obviously trying to get me to shrink down into nothing here in the corner.

“I have no idea,” I said. “Maybe you didn’t look in the right places. I didn’t realize I was expected to be at your beck and call.”

“Well, you are,” he said. “And I looked everywhere. Where did you disappear to?”

“I didn’t go anywhere except my own chambers, and last I knew, there was nothing wrong with going into my own suite of rooms when I was tired,” I said.

He sucked in a sharp breath and turned his head, as if I’d slapped him. When his eyes snapped back to mine, they were filled with rage.

“You’re lying to me, Lazalea,” he said. He grabbed my wrists and lifted them up, pressing them hard against the stone wall behind me. “I cannot express to you how disappointing that is. I was hoping after our little talk last night, you would understand the delicate position you find yourself in, but I can see that I was not being clear enough at the time. So, let me be clear.”

He squeezed my wrists so hard, it was all I could do to keep from crying out.

“You’re hurting me,” I said. “Let me go.”

“I will never let you go,” he said. “I don’t want to hurt you, but this is nothing compared to what I’m fully prepared to do if you don’t start treating me with the respect I demand from you. Do you understand?”

“I understand that respect, by definition, is not something that can be demanded. It must be earned,” I said.

He released one of my wrists and slapped me hard across the face. My cheek burned, but I kept my head high.

“One of my guards told me that the prisoner who was brought in at the same time as you was called out of his room last night,” he said. “He didn’t see where the prisoner was taken, but I find it curious that he disappeared around the same time you did. You didn’t happen to pay a visit to him last night, did you? Because that would be quite disappointing indeed. A visit to see him now would prove where your loyalties lie, Princess, and I’m afraid that if someone were able to prove you were still loyal to your old way of life that there would be nothing I could do to save you. So, tell me. Where were you last night?”

My heart beat faster, but I kept my mouth shut, afraid that if I dared to open it, I would tell him what I really thought of the way he was treating me. I couldn’t get revenge on him or put an end to him from the dungeons, but I vowed right then and there that I would find a way to destroy him.

No one put their hands on me like this. No one who survived, anyway.

“Fine,” he said. “You don’t have to answer me. I already know the truth. Just know that I’m not about to let the son of a fellow council member go free. I know your history with his brother, Denaer, and as happy as he would be to take his brother’s place, I’m sure, your precious Aerden is never going to be given the chance. If you dare to contact him again or attempt to go see him while he is still a prisoner, I will make sure he doesn’t survive even the first round of these games. You will watch him die, and you will know that it was your actions that sealed his fate. I will be king, and nothing is going to stand in my way. You can join me, or you can die. Those are your options, Princess.”

He released me and straightened his shirt. I rubbed my sore wrists, hoping he would just walk away so I didn’t feel tempted to kill him right here and now.

Instead, he smiled and offered his arm to me again, as if he hadn’t just threatened my life.

“Now that’s out of the way, I hope we can have a pleasant morning together,” he said. “Shall we?”

Bitterness coated my tongue as I placed my hand on his arm and followed him the rest of the way to the dining room.

My plan to find out exactly who he was and what he wanted with this kingdom had just escalated to a plan to see him completely destroyed.

No one threatened my friends and lived to regret it.