I undid my own trousers, releasing my hard length from the restraint of the fabric. “So what? He was there this morning too.”
“Yeah, but I didn’t know about it then.”
“If you think I’m worried even slightly about Brogan Ragnall’s discomfort, you’re in love with the wrong man,” I hissed, more irritated about the turn of the conversation than I wanted to admit.
She froze and threw a contemptuous look over her shoulder. “So, you’ve just been politely pretending all day that you’re fine being in the same room with him?”
Dammit.
This wasn’t going the way I had hoped at all.
“I haven’t been pretending anything. We have a deal. Once Esme is safe, he’ll turn himself over to me to face the consequences for his role in murdering my king. And queen, for that matter.”
She went utterly still.
Then she shoved me away. Hard.
She squirmed out of my arms, pulling her trousers up hastily.
I dipped my forehead against the cool surface of the door. Fantastic.
“Are you serious?” Her voice shook with accusation. “When were you planning on telling me this?”
“Right now … apparently. I have great timing. Or angering you is my favorite form of foreplay.”
“Sometimes I really hate you,” she spat.
I readjusted myself, then buckled my trousers again. “I love it when you lie to me.” Turning toward her, I rested my weight against the door and crossed my arms. “What do you want me to say? I love you, Seren. But that doesn’t change the fact that your father murdered my?—”
“Your what?” Her eyes narrowed, gleaming with fury. “Who, exactly, was the king of Lirien to you, Rykr? Why do you care so much?”
Maybe I should have anticipated this.
Or prepared for this conversation better.
But I hadn’t and here we were.
I searched her gaze. My secret would be safe with her, that wasn’t what worried me now. But telling her the truth would change everything in ways I wasn’t ready to face. And it put her in danger. The truth was dangerous.
But this might be the last moment we had alone together.
“I think you know,” I said at last.
She flinched and tore her gaze away, as though she hadn’t wanted to hear that. She hugged her arms to her chest, unable to look at me.
My throat tightened. Gods, don’t look away from me, Seren.
“What’s your name?”
I swallowed, but the lump in my throat wouldn’t go down.
I should lie. I should stall. I should say anything but the truth.
But I couldn’t.
“Calix,” I said at last, my voice quieter than I meant it to be. “Or it was. I’ve gone by Rykr Westhaven for two years now.”
When she looked back at me, her eyes were red-rimmed. “Why were you in the forest?”
