AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Kelyn’s men had returned. After Kelyn and I were sent off on Seren, they followed the tracks of the men I killed, back to the hideout, and finished them off. Not many foes were left to guard the place. Most had been sent on the raid, and then they met me, who granted a quick demise for those who didn’t deserve it.
At least eradicating the rabble was an end to Lord Mathonwy’s problem.
I was a hero.
It was nauseating.
Everyone in the palace praised me. Those who passed me in the halls greeted me with enthusiasm. I was one of them. I had saved their people and their crown prince.
Only Kenrik knew how I suffered, and only Kenrik allowed me to grieve. We spent many hours alone as he hid from Tiwlip, and I, from everyone else. Sometimes we sat in silence, and he never expected me to put on the face I showed everyone else.
Especially the face I showed Kelyn.
Every time I was near Kelyn, my pulse raced. Not just from thoughts of his touch, but mostly from thoughts of his death. I couldn’t stop thinking about how his heart fought to beat with the arrow lodged in it. How the hardest-working organ in Kelyn’s body refused to quit fighting, all the while tearing the hole larger with its efforts.
I couldn’t cast the image from my mind.
Kelyn found me at the end of each day, after his duties were finished, and we strolled in the windowed hallway on the west side. It was a sunroom, but the sun had long since set by the time we arrived. Kelyn shared his day with me as we paced the hall’s length in the oil lamps’ light, turning once we reached the end.
I smiled. I laughed. Kelyn angled his body toward mine and talked with his hands. He was passionate about helping his people, about serving them. He was bred to be a king.
I was proud of him. I was proud I saved his life for his people.
Kelyn didn’t ask me for an answer to his proposal, even as days wore on. I knew he was actively courting me—getting to know me. At least that’s what Kenrik snidely called it.
Kelyn’s hand often slid into mine, and he smoothed circles on the palm. I giggled as he swept hair from my forehead or rested his palm against the nape of my neck as he gazed into my pupils.
Oh, his blue eyes.
They were the one thing that steadied my galloping heart and washed away the blood that spurted from his chest in my nightmares.
He kissed me every day. Just once, before bed. Very chastely. He didn’t want to scare me off. He was patient—a man of his word. Even so, his heat lingered on my lips.
Kenrik teased me over Kelyn’s attentions. Though we brooded out the daylight hours, I knew what he thought about Kelyn and me.
Kenrik was also trying to win me in his own way. We found empty guest rooms, and I punched pillows until they exploded. This resulted in our laughter as we blew feathers around the room and launched them into each other’s faces.
I showed Kenrik my light. I showed him how I shielded myself in battle. I showed him how I heated water, and how I floated objects. In the armory, with Kenrik holding up a metal shield, I attacked him with a fury of orbs until the metal grew too hot and he begged me to stop.
More than once, I healed his burnt arm. When I did, he watched me, never taking his eyes off my face. He didn’t ever caress my cheeks as Kelyn did; he didn’t ever kiss me.
And I loved him for it. I loved him for letting me beat him up over and over again. And for those times of silence.
I was healing because of him.
Or maybe I was just distracted.
That was it. I was completely distracted. Ignoring my sin.
The first snow was late. For some reason, anticipating the storm made everyone restless. After the men returned, they sparred once again in the great hall, which was the most spacious place to assemble. The men pushed the tables against the walls and spent hours blowing off steam. Most of them weren’t scholars, so they didn’t congregate in the libraries or the sitting rooms with the ladies, but after many hours of chatting and weaving or stitching, the ladies eventually trickled down to watch the men.
I started this trend. Half of the ladies were ever so grateful.
I followed Sorfrona and Tiwlip down to the hall. Tiwlip spoke to me civilly. Kenrik assured me he didn’t speak to her of his affections for another, but even so, she didn’t ever meet my eyes. She wasn’t blind. My heart ached for her. I didn’t want their breakup to happen because of me.
Sorfrona had no idea Kenrik turned Tiwlip down. Every once in a while she mentioned how she was eager to travel to Hyledd in the spring—as if for a wedding. Tiwlip didn’t correct her.
As the ladies filtered in, I felt egos puff. Men broadened their chests and began fighting for show.
