The Bound (Ascension #2)(82)

Cyrene sighed. “That isn’t an answer.”

“I don’t have magic, Affiliate. Perhaps ask your sister why she chose it. It can’t be a coincidence that it passed into your hands.”





Cyrene returned to her friends’ inn and recounted much of her experience with Basille Selby. It didn’t give them much to go on, except that Matilde and Vera apparently lived in the Swamp Sector. They all agreed to focus their efforts in the dilapidated hellhole, and Cyrene reluctantly decided to wait it out. If Matilde and Vera were to find her, perhaps she should just let them.

When Dean returned her and Maelia to the castle, he pulled Cyrene aside and gently kissed her hand. “I’m sorry I could not be of more help.”

“No. This was exactly what we needed. Not the best answer, but it’s more information than I started with.”

“I’m afraid that I have to leave you alone again for a few days. Will you try to stay out of trouble?”

Cyrene narrowed her eyes. “Where are you going?”

“I have some things to accomplish, but I will miss you and worry if you do not promise to stay free of trouble.”

“What trouble could I possibly get into?”

He smiled, and his dimples showed, causing her heart to skip. “Wandering alone in the woods, yelling at hunters, fleeing the countryside, breaking out of prison, attacking your Crown Prince, and sneaking out into gang sectors in the middle of the night. Not to mention, taking my sword and killing a Braj! You are walking trouble.”

Cyrene laughed. “All right, I’ll stay in and be good.”

He touched his hand to his heart. “Thank the Creator.”

He kissed her hand one more time before disappearing. She sighed, already wishing she hadn’t promised. Trouble was way more fun than waiting. She was awful at waiting.

Determined to spend her time more productively than she had while stuck in the inn in Aurum, Cyrene retreated to the library. To her delight, as she was browsing the stacks, she found an entire section on magic. Her fingers lovingly brushed the spines. So much knowledge. So much history. Her stomach fluttered, as she knew she could dedicate many years reading everything she could about her ancestors, something she never could have done back home. In Byern, these books would have been destroyed.

She grabbed a stack of books and took them over to a large table she had claimed as her own.

She whittled away the next couple of days, leisurely reading.

One day, in the early afternoon, someone sidled up next to her. “Are you coming to watch?”

Cyrene jumped. Cyrene suppressed a shudder at Alise’s appearance. She was the only one of Dean’s sisters who hadn’t sought her out after their first meeting in the throne room. The others had badgered her with questions about Byern and Dean and Aurum and everything else under the sun. But they’d also offered her new clothing since her gowns had never shown up on the ship from Aurum. Despite their kindness, they weren’t exactly friendly. They seemed determined to scare her off, and she was just as determined not to give in. But, above anyone else, Alise put her on edge.

“Coming to watch what?” Cyrene asked.

“Did no one tell you?”

Cyrene chewed on the inside of her cheek and refused to answer. Whatever Alise was referring to, she clearly relished in withholding the information.

“Well, we wouldn’t want to be late.”

Cyrene finally gave in. “Late for what?”

Alise smiled deviously. “Oh, you’ll see.”

“I’d really prefer to know ahead of time.”

“Cyrene,” Alise said softly, “I know we didn’t get off on the right foot, but I was just concerned for Dean. Surely, you can understand that.”

“Sure,” Cyrene said cautiously.

“Let me offer you this. Clearly, you weren’t informed.”

Well, she was too interested now to refuse. “Okay.”

Alise looped her arm with Cyrene’s, just as Brigette had done in the throne room, and escorted her out of the library. They walked down a long hallway and then out into a brightly lit courtyard. The courtyard ended in a dirt path leading out of the palace. Cyrene was wary of following Alise onto the grounds, but she could hear voices coming from a smaller sandstone building in the distance. So, she tried to reason that nothing bad could come of this.

“Here we are,” Alise said cheerfully.

A guard was standing watch at the entrance of a large stone fence, and Alise pulled her through the opening. When she realized where she was, Cyrene’s trepidation peaked.

The fence held a military training arena with seating and a sand pit at the bottom. Two men held swords in their hands. They were bare-chested with nothing but a loincloth for modesty.

Cyrene’s cheeks flushed. She hadn’t even realized she was prudish until that moment. She had never seen a man with so little clothing on before, and here, an entire crowd was cheering them on.

Cyrene had heard of such buildings for the Second Class in Byern, but she had never been to one, nor was it a sport enjoyed by the First Class. She doubted very much that the military men and women were practically naked when they fought in Byern. She couldn’t even fathom it.

“This way,” Alise said, directing her toward the royal box.

Cyrene followed her and took a seat wedged between Alise and Brigette, who noted Cyrene’s discomfort with a smile.