Nessa opened her mouth to reply, but knew he was right. Many things would change. And she would miss him terribly. They had been friends for so long, since childhood and now... Something had changed between them. She closed her mouth with a gentle sigh. “Luke,” she whispered. “You are to marry Mel. We can’t tell her --”
“Of course not,” he said immediately. “She must never know of our indiscretion. It was a mistake.”
Mistake? Their kiss, their one kiss, had been a mistake? Of course it had! What else could it be? She nodded. Even though... even though she had wanted with all her heart for him to desire her. To love her. She knew it couldn’t be. Mel was beautiful and lively and she was... not. How could he love her when he had Mel?
“Luke, I would never do anything to hurt Mel. She is my sister. I love her.”
“As you should.” He nodded and gestured for her to continue down the hallway. She did. He escorted her to the physician without another word. The physician, a lean man with a stern glare, greeted her at the doorway. He ushered her into the room. When she looked back, Luke was gone.
Nessa couldn’t understand the change in Luke. He seemed different, somehow. Distant. And she knew she should be happy for that, but she wasn’t. She thought of Luke constantly. His dark hair, his piercing blue eyes, his strong body, his kiss. Oh, his kiss!
The next day, she threw herself into chores and running the castle. Everyone welcomed her back with happiness and joy. And yet, she felt something was missing. She felt empty and lost. She visited with her father as often as she could that day. He was still abed and she chose to take her evening meal with him. She was sitting on the bed, a tray of food beside her and her father. The fire in the hearth was warm and crackled with life. A chessboard was situated between them, reminding Nessa of when she was a child. There were only a handful of moments her father had time to challenge her to a game of chess. She always let him win for fear of not playing another game with him.
A quiet knock sounded at the door, disturbing Nessa’s concentration.
“Come,” her father called.
The door opened and Luke entered holding a tray filled with food.
Nessa couldn’t tear her gaze from him. She was ravenous, drinking in his appearance, the way a lock of dark hair fell across his forehead. She had avoided him all day and had almost succeeded.
He paused at seeing her.
“Come in, boy,” her father called. “Close the door. You’re letting the warm air out.”
“I’m sorry,” Luke said. “I didn’t mean to disturb you.”
Her father huffed. “Since when are you a disturbance? Come in.”
Luke’s gaze shifted from Nessa to the tray on the bed. “I.. I didn’t know. I brought you the evening meal.”
“So, you are trying to hide, too?”
Nessa rolled her eyes. Her father had accused her of hiding from the attention of well-wishers if she were to dine in the Great Hall.
“Where is your betrothed?” her father asked Luke. “Surely she would make better company than an old feeble man.”
A wave of sadness crested over Nessa and she quickly looked back to the chessboard.
“Mel is dining in the Great Hall. I thought to bring you --”
Her father waved his hand. “I know. I know. My evening meal. Ness had the same idea.” He signaled the opposite side of his bed. “Join us.”
“I should return to Mel.”
The dagger twisted in her heart. She saw the chessboard, but didn’t really see it.
“Mel will not miss you. Not with all the attention she gets.”
Luke hesitated one more moment and then did as her father commanded. He sat across the bed from her, setting the tray beside the chessboard so her father was surrounded by two trays and the chessboard.
“I should go,” Nessa said, unable to look at Luke.
“Rubbish,” her father said. “We are in the middle of a game. When have you ever left in the middle of a game?”
“I have chores to do, Father.”
“After the game.”
