Kiara's pov
Grey reached for me, then stopped himself, his hand hovering just above my shoulder. "I'm sorry," he said. "For yelling and for losing control."
I swallowed. "I know."
"I just.." He dragged a hand through his hair. "The thought of losing you, it does things to me."
I stared at the floor. "You're not going to lose me."
"Promise?" His voice was rough.
I hesitated. "I'll try."
We stood there in silence for a while, the only sound the crackle of the fire and the faint drip of blood on the stone floor. Then Grey sighed and turned to the guards who had appeared at the door.
"Get this body out of here," he ordered. "And double the patrols around Kiara's chambers. No one gets near her without my permission."
"Yes, my king," one of them said, and they hurried to obey.
Once they were gone, Grey turned back to me. "You should rest."
I gave a bitter laugh. "Rest? After tonight?"
"I'll stay," he said. "Right here. I won't leave until morning."
I looked at him, unsure how to feel about that. "Because you think someone else might try again?"
"Because I'm not taking any chances." he responded.
I sighed and sat back on the bed. My body was exhausted, but my mind wouldn't stop racing. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the assassin's face. Heard his words.
The curse is waking.
"Grey," I said quietly. "What if he's right?"
He frowned. "About what?"
"The curse, the bond. Everything Draven said."
His jaw tightened. "Don't do that. Don't let his words get in your head."
"They're already there," I admitted. "And now this. If people want me dead, maybe they're not wrong to be afraid."
He knelt in front of me, forcing me to look at him. "Listen to me. You are not a curse, you're not a weapon. You're Kiara and whatever this bond is, whatever happens, we'll face it together."
I stared at him. "And if it kills me?"
His voice shook. "Then it kills me too."
Something twisted painfully in my chest. "You can't promise that."
"I just did."
We looked at each other for a long time and even though everything was falling apart, even though fear still clawed at my ribs, a small part of me believed him.
******
The body was gone by morning, but the smell of blood still clung to the air. I hadn't slept, Grey hadn't either. He sat in the chair across from my bed all night, his eyes fixed on the door, like he expected someone else to break in at any second.
By sunrise, the room was filled with people. Grey's most trusted warriors and advisors, men and women I'd seen before but never spoken to now stood in a circle around us. Their faces were tight, serious. Some looked angry, some looked scared. All of them were on edge.
Grey stood near the window, arms crossed. "Whoever sent that assassin was one of us," he said without wasting time. "No one else could have gotten that close."
A murmur spread through the room.
"That's impossible," one of the warriors said. "No one here would betray you."
"Someone already did," Grey said coldly. "And I will find them."
A woman with sharp eyes stepped forward. I'd seen her once before, her name was Mara, one of Grey's captains. "My king, maybe the man slipped in with the supply caravans. There's no proof it was one of ours."
Grey's gaze cut to her. "The supply routes are checked three times a day. Every name is logged. Every face is accounted for. He didn't sneak in, He walked in."
Silence fell again. My stomach twisted. They were all looking at each other now, suspicion creeping into their eyes.
"What about the guard on the eastern wing?" someone asked. "He was replaced last week."
Grey nodded. "Already questioned. He didn't see anything."
"Or he lied," Mara muttered.
"Enough," Grey snapped. "No accusations without proof."
I shifted on the bed. "So what happens now?"
Grey's eyes softened slightly when they met mine. "Now we find out who's trying to kill you."
I swallowed. "And if it's someone you trust?"
"Then they stop breathing," he said flatly.
The room went quiet again. I could feel the tension crawling over my skin.
"Let's start with what we know," Grey continued. "The assassin knew exactly where to go. He came straight to Kiara's chambers, avoided every patrol, and attacked at the only moment she was alone. That means he had inside information."
Mara nodded. "Someone told him her location and schedule."
"Exactly," Grey said. "So we find out who knew and we start narrowing it down."
One of the younger warriors shifted uncomfortably. "That's half the palace, my king. Everyone knew she was staying here."
"Not everyone knew the guards rotated at midnight," Grey said. "Not everyone knew I'd be gone from this wing for an hour. Only five people did."
He turned, his eyes sweeping over the group. "And all five of you are standing in this room."
The air changed. It became hard and people stiffened. Someone took a step back.
Mara frowned. "You're not accusing us."
"I'm stating a fact," Grey said. "One of you told him."
"That's insane," said a man near the back, tall, with a scar across his jaw. "I've been with you since before you were king."
"And betrayal usually comes from those closest," Grey said quietly.
The man clenched his fists. "How dare you.."
"Sit down, Corren," Mara warned.
He glared at her but did as she said.
I watched them all silently. My heart was racing again. "Grey, what if… what if this isn't about me? What if it's about you?"
All eyes turned to me.
"What do you mean?" Grey asked.
"What if killing me isn't the goal?" I said slowly. "What if it's just the start? A way to weaken you. Distract you."
Grey's jaw tightened. "It's possible but either way, you're the target."
"And if they're inside the palace," I whispered, "then we're not safe."
"You're not going anywhere," Grey said firmly. "I'll lock down the entire wing if I have to."
"That won't stop them," I said. "They already got in once."
"Then I'll be ready the next time," he growled.
Mara cleared her throat. "My king, we could question the five you mentioned. Put them under oath."
"Do it," Grey said.
Corren shot her a furious look. "I'm not swearing anything. I've done nothing wrong."
"Then you have nothing to fear," Grey said calmly.
Corren muttered something under his breath but didn't argue again.
"Start with him," Grey told Mara.
Corren's head snapped up. "What?"
"You're the loudest," Grey said. "And the guilty always shout first."
"I am not guilty," Corren spat. "I would never betray you."
"Then swear it," Grey said. "Right here and right now."
Corren looked around the room. All eyes were on him. After a long, tense pause, he exhaled and nodded. "Fine."
Mara stepped forward and placed a silver dagger on the table. "Cut your palm and swear loyalty to the king and queen-to-be. If you lie, the silver will burn you."
Corren stared at the blade, his jaw tight. Then he grabbed it, sliced his palm, and spoke.
"I swear on my blood and my life that I did not betray my king or plot against Kiara."
The silver didn't burn. Mara nodded. "He's clean."
"Next," Grey said.
One by one, they all swore. None of them burned, none of them screamed. None of them showed signs of guilt.
And yet the assassin had still been there.
Grey's face darkened. "Someone's lying."
Mara frowned. "The blade should have reacted if they were."
"Unless," Grey said, "the one who told the assassin isn't in this room."
A heavy silence fell.
"You said five people knew," I said quietly.
"I did," Grey said. "But there's a sixth."
"Who?" Mara asked.
Grey's eyes moved to the door. "Xander."
My breath caught. "Xander?"
"He was there when I left this wing," Grey said. "He knew I'd be gone. He knew the guard schedule."
Mara shifted uncomfortably. "You think Xander would betray you?"
"I don't want to think it," Grey said. "But I have to consider every possibility."
I stared at the floor. "He wouldn't."
"You don't know that," Grey said gently.
"Yes, I do." I looked up at him. "He's saved me more than once. He's protected me when you couldn't. He cares about me."
"That's exactly why he might do it," Grey said, his tone hard. "Because he cares."
I frowned. "That makes no sense."
"It does if he thinks getting rid of you will free you," Grey said quietly. "If he believes the bond is killing you, if he believes the curse is real…"
"He wouldn't try to kill me," I whispered.
Grey didn't answer.
The silence stretched until Mara cleared her throat. "Should I bring him in, my king?"
Grey hesitated. "No. Not yet."
"Why not?" I asked.
"Because if he's innocent, I won't insult him with an accusation," Grey said. "And if he's guilty, I want to catch him off guard."
The thought made me sick. "So we just wait?"
"For now," Grey said. "I need more information before I make a move."
I didn't like it. Not one bit. But arguing felt pointless.