Destined for Vengeance ✔️

Chapter 28

Jade was sitting at one of the tables in the library, in the farthest corner, hidden behind the book cases. A thick book was lying open in front of her. She had one leg drawn up to the chair, and one arm hooked around it. With the hand of the other arm, she was clenching her pendant.

That's how Aaron found her. Austin had informed him she was in the library and he had opted to go to her, rather than have a servant bring her to him. He wanted to see her in her natural habitat, without being aware of his presence.

Fortunately, there was no one else in the library. Had there been someone else, Jade would have caught onto his presence through the person's thoughts. Now she was oblivious. Until she caught his scent, at least. He halted beside the last book case, tilting his head. Her auburn hair was flowing in wild tangles down her back. Her narrow shoulders were drawn up and together, her back hunched, like she wanted to crawl into herself. His eyes caught her pendant and her fingers wrapped around it. He wanted to rip the thing from around her neck and throw it away.

Her brows shot down and she sniffed the air. A jolt went through her and she snapped around, her eyes growing wider when she saw him. Her face reminded him of spring.

"Your Highness!" She slipped off the chair, smoothing her dress hastily and running her hands through her hair as though there was any possibility of taming it.

"Will you never say my name?" he asked. He itched to hear her say it. Did she avoid it on purpose? Why? He came closer. She wasn't wearing shoes. Her feet seemed just as tiny as the rest of her. He felt like he could just tuck her into his pocket.

She followed his gaze down, a blush appearing on her cheeks. "I forgot to put on shoes."

The statement puzzled him. How anyone could forget such a crucial part of one's attire was beyond him. It was a reminder of how different their lives were.

She moved her weight from one foot to the other and moved her hand up to her chest, cradling her pendant. She didn't even flinch. Was she so used to the discomfort it didn't faze her anymore, or did being a Shadow Walker mean she had an entirely different definition of pain to begin with?

He bridged the last of the distance between them, pausing right in front of her – too close and yet never close enough. She tipped her head back to meet his gaze, her green eyes so brilliant he forgot to breathe. He blinked, snapping himself out of it, and grasped her wrist. Her eyes shot open wider, her lips parting. A gasp escaped her and her fingers relaxed around the pendant, enough so that he could guide her hand away from the wretched object. Her palm was red and hot.

"I do so wish you would not use silver to harm yourself."

She withdrew her hand, wincing. Instantly, as though she had conditioned herself to do so and her hand was working on muscle memory alone, her fingers moved back up to the pendant, but she stopped herself just in time. She turned from him and walked back to the table, closing the book she'd been reading.

"I do not use silver to harm myself. I use silver to help me," she said. "Just because silver is primarily used to injure, does not mean it does not have other applications, Your Highness. I am not the only Shadow Walker to use it. It might seem an odd practice to you, but I assure you it is not."

She picked up the book and cradled it in her arms, her back bending at the effort of carrying it. In her defence, it was a thick book almost as large as her torso. She walked past him, undoubtedly to return the book to its spot, but he stopped her and plucked it from her grip. He flipped open the cover and looked at the title page – A History of the Royal Wolves. His eyes flitted back to her to find her blushing.