A Curse of Shadows

With how quickly I’m becoming attached, I’m terrified of that scenario and I don’t know how I’m supposed to get over that with only brief snippets of memories.

“As much as I’d love to stay right here with you in my arms, Estee is likely listening to every word we speak,” he says softly. “Plus, Declan and Noen are waiting for me.”

I smooth out the wrinkles I created on his shirt and smile up at him, trying to hide the fears that threaten to strangle me. “Then I guess you better go.”

He kisses me again, but not near long enough before he adds, “I’m going to apologize now for however I might act when Noen is around you. He’s one of my closest friends and the two of you were best friends before—he wasn’t lying about that—but you’re still my mate. Being wolf shifters, logic doesn’t always make sense to our inner beasts and having another male be so close to you, well, it makes me a little crazy.”

While I don’t know enough to truly understand what he’s saying, I can sense the sincerity of his words and will take them into consideration.

“Thank you for telling me,” I say, then I give him a little push toward the door. “I’ll come find you after we’re done at the school.”

He winks as he reaches for the door. “Not if I find you first.”

Oh, how I hope he does.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

ASHER

When I get out into the hallway, only Declan is waiting for me. He’s casually leaning against the wall, ankles crossed and pretending to pay attention to his nails more than anything else.

“So, that was fun,” he begins, his voice light but the undercurrents of concern unmistakable. He looks up, his expression sobering. “Noen took off.”

“Where did he go?” I probe, contemplating reaching out but opting against it, giving him space to digest his encounter with Isla.

“Just said he was going out.” Declan pushes away from the wall and we start walking back toward the stairs as he adds, “Speaking as both your oldest friend and your ambassador, you were rather tough on him. Do you really think he’d try to take Isla from you after everything the two of you went through back then when she disappeared?”

“Well, someone took her from me.” The words leave my mouth before I can truly process them, and once they’re out in the open, I can’t ignore them. “Maybe he’s been keeping me close to make sure I never figure out what he did.”

Declan shakes his head. “And maybe seeing your mate after all this time has made you lose your mind. Noen didn’t hurt Iso—Isla and you know it.”

But do I? Doubt gnaws at me, a relentless beast. While I admit to being historically jealous, the possibility that Noen acted out of a twisted sense of protection—keeping her from both me and the throne—nags at me.

I don’t know how he would have found out so soon, but it’s all plausible.

Declan sighs and frowns. “I don’t usually overstep and use our friendship to challenge you, but I want you to consider that you’re too close to the situation. I’m not sure where your head is right now because I’m pretty sure you’re still keeping something from me about all this, but don’t put this on Noen. I may not know what happened all those years ago, but I do know that he had nothing to do with it.”

He can’t know that for sure, but he’s made me consider my actions. Just maybe not in the way he hoped.

If, and no matter how big of an if that might be…Noen had something to do with Isla’s disappearance, it will be better for me to keep him close, just as he’s done with me, and that’s exactly what I intend to do.

“Hey,” I say, mind-linking with him, my tone apologetic. “I’m sorry for overreacting. I shouldn’t have treated you that way and I promise to keep my emotions in check.”

Noen doesn’t reply right away. “She’s your mate. I’ll try to understand too. I’m going back to my room to shower and sleep.”

He breaks our connection and I let him. Until we learn more, I don’t really have a choice unless I want to come right out and accuse him of something I have no proof of.

As king, I could, but at what cost?

That’s not something I’m willing to risk just yet. I’ll just plan on keeping a closer eye on Isla for the time being, reminding her to never be without myself, Grayson, or her sister.

“I apologized to him,” I tell Declan before he heads to his room.

He nods and smiles before clasping my shoulder. “I’m impressed. You don’t often take blame. You won’t regret it.”

We will see about that.

As he goes in the opposite direction, my mind goes back to the one thing that did go right this morning: Isla didn’t hesitate to kiss me.