Page 84 of A Fragile Enchantment

“What do youmeanyou didn’t hate it?” She smacked his arm with it, which earned her a glare. “I have not forgotten for a moment what you said to me, or the look on your face when you took it,oryour terrible apology, for that matter!”

“I don’t know,” he said defensively. “It made me… uncomfortable. Your magic makes me feel things.”

“That is rather the point!” she cried. “But what could have possibly set you off? This is a silly little charm for… for… longing?”

What do Iwant?He’d scoffed at her once.What a ridiculous question.

“I didn’t want to feel much of anything when we met, least of alllonging.” He sounded frustrated—but not at her. “But it hasn’t let me out of its grip since. I hardly remembered what it was before you crashed into my life. I hardly knew what I wanted at all.”

Her heart beat too fiercely against her ribs. Her eyes burned again with the threat of tears. “But now you do.”

“Yes. Now I do.” He raised himself onto his elbow. His next word was a bare exhalation against her collarbone: “Stay.”

She shivered. “You know I can’t.”

His jaw set, and his eyes blazed with defiance. “He can’t send you away so easily. Not if you’re mine.”

Maybe he could make her his. Maybe Jack would see the value in placating him, in giving Kit something to distract himself with while his brother continued his machinations. How sweet it sounded on the surface. But Niamh had already made up her mind.

“I can’t be your mistress, Kit.”

“Then be my wife.”

Her mind went entirely blank. She couldn’t be certain if she’d heard him correctly, but no… No, she had. It was a far,farcry from the romantic proposal she’d envisioned as a girl, brimming with fervid declarations and perhaps a touch of begging. Oh, she ought to reject him outright, just for his utter lack of passion! But the impetuousness of it all seemed far from the point at present; she couldn’t even be cross with him for ruining her very first—and likely last—offer of marriage. Because he couldn’t truly mean it, and if he did, he was entirely delusional. Right now, both of them gloriously naked, he would’ve surely promised her anything.

She pulled the curtain of her hair over her shoulders. “You arenot thinking clearly right now. You shouldn’t promise me things that aren’t yours to give.”

“My life is my own.” His voice was fierce, argumentative, and it was so utterlyhim,it made her heart flutter. “Someone once told me that.”

“Still! You cannot say that.”

“I can say whatever I want,” he countered. “I’m a prince.”

“That is exactly the problem. What will they say?”

Walking out of the cathedral with his hand in hers would be as good as the first spark of revolution. A commoner—aMachlishcommoner—marrying an Avlish prince? It was not just irregular. By all the rules of high society, it was completely unnatural.

“Let them talk. It’s time things changed.” The conviction in his voice enthralled her. “I’ve been thinking about this. This would be a symbol that we’re committed to making things right with Machland. It would prove that we believe there’s nothing fundamentally different between us. You’d be at my side as we change things.”

It sounded too good to be true. “But Castilia…”

“Doesn’t need me to marry Rosa to have our assurance that we will ally with them.”

Her head spun. “And the kingdom’s financial troubles…”

“Can be dealt with in other ways, when its regent is not committed to preserving the status quo above all else.”

“Your brother will never allow it.”

“If we elope, his opinion makes no difference.”

Niamh slumped against the window. “Youhavebeen thinking about this.”

He seemed at once satisfied and anxious. “Any other objections?”

“Kit, I don’t think I…”I don’t think I deserve this.She lowered her gaze and buried her face in her hands. “It’s too selfish.”

“You have never done a selfish thing in your life. Why can’t you see what I see? I have never met someone half as accomplished or virtuous as you are.” He took her face in his hands, and his tonesoftened. “Stop criticizing yourself and undercutting your own achievements. Stop cutting off pieces of yourself, when you’re already more than good enough.”