“What was it like, growing up in the dense forests of Lalsacia?” Adeline tipped her face toward the sky, trying to imagine a land where tall trees covered the sky and rain fell so frequently that the sun was rarely seen.
“I never saw so much sky until I visited the mountains the first time.” Lorne, too, turned his face upward.
The stars filled the sky in a glittering expanse, vast and unaffected by politics or wars. Lord Sarlon and his ilk could bluster and maneuver as much as they wanted, but no matter how much power they gained, they could never affect the stars.
Dragging her gaze back down, she meandered down her favorite path, the one that wound between peony bushes. At this time of early summer, the buds were just opening, filling the air with a thick, sweet scent.
“Are peonies your favorite flower?” Lorne must have seen something in the way she was lingering.
“Yes.” She halted, reached out, and traced a finger over one of the waxy petals.
“Not much of a surprise.” He leaned closer, his nearness making her heart pound. “They are your favorite color.”
Her cheeks burned, and she couldn’t quite meet his gaze. It was too warm, and this moment of sharing such a personal detail made her too vulnerable.
As if sensing her discomfort, Lorne took half a step back to put distance between them and drew in a deep breath, exhaling slowly. “It smells different here. Warmer and sweet somehow. In Lalsacia, it always smells of damp earth and green trees.”
She’d love to experience that someday. Would their kingdoms ever be at peace securely enough for her to risk traveling to Lalsacia?
Had she stolen that from Lorne? Would he ever be able to return to that home that he spoke about with such longing, such love?
“One of my favorite things to do is walk through the woods behind my estate first thing in the morning.” Lorne’s fingers brushed hers, a light touch that asked for permission. “At that time of day, the fleech dragons are waking up, skittering over the trees or flying through the shafts of sunlight. Sometimes I’ll spot an elk or a bear. It’s peaceful.”
Seeing a bear didn’t sound so peaceful to her. But then again, she’d grown up riding the hills and watching wild sylon cats stalk their prey, so perhaps that wasn’t so dissimilar.
She twined her fingers with Lorne’s. “That sounds really nice.”
“I hope to show you someday.” Lorne swung their clasped hands. When she glanced at him, she found he was already looking at her. His smile softened. “Perhaps that day might be sooner than we think, if we bring about peace between our kingdoms.”
“Perhaps.” She couldn’t bring herself to be as optimistic as he was. Even with peace, there was theproblem that she was Kelverny’s sole heir. It would be a long time before Kelverny was comfortable with her disappearing into Lalsacia even for a short trip.
But tonight was an evening for letting herself dream, just a little bit.
CHAPTER TEN
Lorne woke, lying there for a long moment as he gathered his senses.
There it came again. The slight scuff of noise that had woken him. A cool breeze whispered across his face, something that shouldn’t have been there if the doors to the balcony had been closed.
Lorne cracked his eyes open. He lay with his back to the balcony, and the hair at the back of his neck prickled at being so exposed and vulnerable.
Before him, Adeline slept peacefully, her face toward him and lit by the brightness of the moonlight.
Another scuff, and a shadow fell across Adeline’s face. Something glinted.
Lorne wrapped his arms around Adeline and rolled. She woke with a scream as the two of them tumbled off the far side of the bed in a jumble of sheets and limbs.
He took the jolt on his back, groaning as her weightslammed into his ribs. He coughed as he rolled the two of them again to tuck her against the wall. Another cough, and he managed to drag in enough breath to yell, “Guards! Attack! Guards!”
“What—” Adeline blinked, still bleary and confused.
Lorne shoved himself away, struggling to disentangle himself from the constricting blankets. As he raised his head over the edge of the bed, the dark figure of the assassin lunged, knife flashing.
Grabbing a handful of blanket, Lorne flung it into the assassin’s face. The assassin flinched, buying Lorne just enough time to snatch the candlestick from the bedside table. It was small, meant for only a single candle to light the room before bed, but any item in hand was better than nothing.
The door between the bedroom and the sitting room rattled and thumped. The guards shouted, but the door held. The assassin must have taken the time to lock the connecting doors, turning the reassuringly sturdy oak doors into a detriment instead of protection.
Lorne brought the candlestick up. The assassin’s knife clanged on it, the blade scraping and screeching as it deflected. Jumping to stand on the bed, the assassin stabbed again, and Lorne dodged as best he could, his feet tangling in the blankets on the floor. With the higher position and far better weapon, the assassin had all the advantages.
