Chapter 101. By Your Side

ARDEN

Cade and I sat on the long leather couch across from Bethany, our legs brushing together. He had unwrapped one of the candies and popped it into his mouth, then opened another one and fed it to me.

Bethany Spirit didn’t say a word at first. She leaned back in her chair, her gaze shifting back and forth between us. The silence was thick, broken only by the sound of our chewing.

Finally, she narrowed her eyes. “Young man,” she said, breaking the silence. “Do you truly want to become Praetor? Or is it simply because Arden told you to?”

Cade choked slightly on the candy, coughing before turning toward me with wide eyes. I covered my mouth to stifle a laugh, biting down on my lower lip. Bethany’s expression remained unchanged.

Cade leaned in slightly. “So, it was actually Bethany Spirit you managed to get on your side,” he whispered, awe evident in his voice. “You’re amazing.”

My cheeks warmed at his words. “You’re even more amazing for speaking