The Dragon Queen Selection Chapter 88

CASSIAN

The tension between my brother and I was sharp enough to draw blood, hanging thick in the corridor outside the library.

“You’re avoiding the question,” he said flatly.

“I’m ignoring it,” I corrected.

His jaw flexed. “Why are you looking for Lira? Why was she in your chambers?”

The torches along the wall flickered between us, their flames bending in the draft like they too were uncomfortable with the conversation.

“Is that truly your concern?” I asked. “Or are you simply looking for another reason to quarrel with me tonight?”

Evander took a step closer.

“Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“Turn everything into a game.”

I laughed softly, though there was no humor in it.

“You mistake me,” I said. “I stopped playing games with you years ago brother."

His eyes flashed.

“For someone who claims not to care,” he muttered, “you seem very comfortable hiding things.”

Before I could respond, hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor.

Two palace guards rounded the corner, breathing hard.

“Your Highness!”

Evander and I turned simultaneously.

“What is it?” I asked sharply.

One of them bowed quickly.

“Lady Lira, Your Highness. When we went to call on her, she ran.”

Evander frowned. “Ran?”

“Yes, my lord. When we approached to escort her, she… fled.”

“Fled?” I repeated slowly.

The guard nodded nervously

“She moved toward the eastern halls. We lost sight of her near the servants’ stairwell."

Evander swore under his breath.

“You lost a single girl in the palace?”

“She was fast, my lord,” the second guard said weakly.

I felt irritation stir in my chest.

I didn't understand why she ran. Did she think she was in danger?

“Spread out,” I ordered calmly. “Search the main halls. The library wing. The gardens.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The guards hurried off again.

Evander turned back to me immediately.

“This is suspicious.”

I arched a brow. “You think?”

He ignored the sarcasm.

“She runs in the middle of the night after leaving your chambers, and you act like this is nothing.”

“Everyone knows Lira enjoys wandering the palace at odd hours.”

“That doesn’t explain why she would run from guards.”

His voice had grown sharper.

More possessive.

It grated on my nerves.

“You’re remarkably invested in her tonight,” I said dryly.

His gaze hardened.

“She is none of your business.”

The words hung between us.

For a moment neither of us spoke.

Then I exhaled.

“We’ll find her,” I said simply.

And we did try.

For the next hour we combed through half the palace.

The halls.

The terraces.

The empty halls.

The training courtyard.

Nothing.

No trace of her.

It was as if she had melted into the stone itself.

Evander stopped in the middle of the south corridor, running a hand through his hair.

“This is ridiculous.”

“Calm down.”

“No,” he snapped. “We should ring the bells.”

I stopped walking.

“No."

He stared at me like I had just spoken nonsense.

“Cassian..."

“No alarms.”

His brows shot up.

“A girl from the Queen’s Selection vanishes and you don’t want the entire palace searching?”

I folded my arms.

“Lira is not missing. I don't think she is.”

“Then where is she?”

I looked toward the darkened arches leading deeper into the palace.

“She enjoys disappearing,” I said calmly.

Evander stared at me like I had lost my mind.

“That is the weakest excuse I have ever heard.”

“Then you clearly don't know her well.”

His jaw tightened again.

“Cassian.”

I sighed.

“Listen carefully.”

He waited.

“You will take a handful of guards and search the outer grounds quietly.”

“The grounds?”

“Yes.”

His suspicion deepened.

“You think she left the palace.”

“I think,” I said slowly, “that if she is outside, she will be easier to locate before anyone notices she’s gone.”

Evander studied me carefully.

“You’re hiding something.”

“Am I?”

“Yes.”

I smiled faintly.

“Then you should find out what it is.”

His frustration practically vibrated.

Finally he exhaled sharply.

“Fine. I’ll search the outer walls.”

“Take four of your trusted guards.”

He turned to leave, then paused.

“And Cassian.”

“Yes?”

“If something happens to her…"

His voice lowered.

“…I will hold you responsible.”

I watched him disappear down the hall.

Then I turned the opposite direction. Toward the eastern wing. Toward the hidden passageway few people in this palace knew existed.

The secret passageway.

The stone walls grew colder the deeper I walked.

Quiet.

Too quiet.

And then...

Movement.

A flash of dark fabric at the far end of the hall.

I moved before thinking.

“Lira.”

She froze.

For half a heartbeat.

Then she turned. And tried to run.

I caught her before she reached the corner. My hand closed around her wrist.

“Enough!”

She struggled.

“Let go of me!”

“No.”

She twisted violently, but I was stronger.

“Where have you been?” I demanded.

“That’s none of your business!”

My patience snapped.

I dragged her down the hall and straight into my chambers.

The door slammed shut behind us.

The silence that followed was explosive.

She pulled her arm free and spun on me.

“What is wrong with you?!”

“Me?” I barked. “You vanish in the middle of the night and run from guards....”

“Because I was scared of them!”

Her voice echoed through the room.

“And you,” she added bitterly.

That stopped me cold.

“What?”

Her chest rose and fell rapidly.

Her eyes burned.

“Everywhere I turn in this palace someone is watching,” she said. “There are things going on here that even I don't understand.”

“That’s not an explanation.”

“No,” she snapped. “But it's the truth.”

I stepped closer.

“Then explain something else.”

“What?”

“Where did you go? Did you go down there again?"

Her laugh was sharp and humorless.

“Typical.”

“Answer me,” I said.

She stared at me for a long moment.

Then something in her snapped.

“You want to know where I've been?” she said quietly.

“Enlighten me.”

Her voice rose.

“I've been uncovering the real truth about this hell hole!”