“Revenge?” she asked, startled. “On who?”
“Me. Nessa?”
“No! I loved you. And Nessa, well, I was angry with her, but that was a long time ago. I didn’t do anything to hurt her.”
“No? Did you tell Urien how angry you were?”
Mel stopped immediately. Frozen. She eased back, her mouth open in surprise. “I can’t... I don’t think...”
“He was there when we got back, remember?” Luke asked. “He greeted us in the courtyard.”
“Of course. I remember, now. I did speak with him.”
“Did you tell him how angry you were?”
Mel flicked a hand of indifference. “What does it matter? That was so long ago.”
Luke caught her arms in a tight grasp. “You play with men’s feelings. You lead them along, flirt with them, without realizing the consequences. Did you tell him how angry you were?”
“Yes!” Mel shouted. “I told him I was angry!”
“What else did you tell him?”
“It was so long ago...”
Luke shook her. “What else did you tell him?”
“I told him everything! I told him about the caves and the stains. I told him I hated her!”
Luke released her suddenly as if the mere touch of her was like being pricked with poison.
“And why wouldn’t I? She followed me around like an annoying gnat. She had to do everything I did. She had to be like me. She had to take you away from me!”
Luke stared, horrified. It was as much his fault as hers, promising his love to a woman he was not in love with.
Mel shook her head, reaching for him. “But that was so long ago. All of that is in the past. I’m not angry anymore.”
Luke stepped away from her, away from her touch. “That was when Urien started pushing Nessa down. It was because of what you told him that he hit Nessa.”
Mel shook her head again. “I never said to hurt her.”
“You didn’t have to. He was doing it to impress you. To win your acceptance. Because he loved you. And then your father banished him not because Nessa told him, but because you told him Urien hit her. You destroyed his life. All because he thought he was in love with you.”
“No. No!” Mel shook her head desperately. “It was Nessa’s fault. She followed us to the caves. She made you put your hand on the stain. She wanted you to be in love with her!”
“Iamin love with her.”
Mel gasped, her eyes rounding in shock. Another intake of breath echoed across the room and Luke shifted his gaze to see Nessa standing near the door of the kitchens. She stepped back into the shadows.
Mel shook her head and grasped Luke’s hand. “You don’t mean that. You’re just angry.”
Luke eased his hand from her hold, his gaze on Nessa. “I just realized it now. How much Nessa means to me. She is beautiful and kind and loving. She would never intentionally harm anyone.” The realization struck him like a bolt of lightning. “Not even you. Especially not you. She would sacrifice herself, her love, to make you happy.” It all made sense now. He turned away from Mel and crossed the expanse of the Great Hall toward Nessa. She stood as if she wanted to flee, but could not move. Shock was written in the anguished lines of her beautiful face. Her mouth was open in surprise. That delectable mouth. Her hands twisted tightly before her.
Luke’s heart swelled with love. All for Nessa. It had always been Nessa. “That’s why you told your father you didn’t love me. So I would marry Mel.”
“She loves you,” Nessa whispered.
Luke shook his head. “She loves herself more than anyone else.” He looked at Mel over his shoulder. She stomped her foot, her hands clenched tightly, and stormed from the Great Hall. She would find some other knight to pamper her and worship her. But that knight would not be him. “Is it true?” he asked quietly.
