Page 90 of A Kingdom of Magic and Rain

Stars. I lifted my gaze to the ceiling, my breathing becoming short, rapid pants.

“What can I do to help you forgive me?” he asked, breathing as shallowly as me.

I couldn’t deny the pull between us, but I could resist it. Giving in to it when I hadn’t forgiven him for his deception would be unfair to both of us.

“Nothing. I just need time.” I turned to my left side, away from him.

He didn’t say anything else, and exhaustion began pulling me under in the shadowy silence of the room.

Before I drifted off to sleep, he whispered, “Thank you for staying with me.”

You stumbled, but you didn’t fall. Rise up and take another step, more confidently this time. My mother’s words were on my mind when I woke up the following morning. I was lying on my right side, having rolled over in my sleep, but the space in front of me was empty. The room was quiet, and Adrian was gone. I couldn’t believe that I had spent the night in his bed. When he had asked me to stay, I could have turned him down, but something had told me we wouldn’t have come back from that. I had stayed. Lying close to the one who had caused me pain, but whose touch I craved like no other. With a sigh, I sat up and swung my legs over the edge of the bed. I was facing the balcony now, and the portrait Adrian had painted of me. Seeing the canvas only reinforced the decision I had made last night.

My steps were sure and light as I walked over to my chambers and summoned Inara. She helped me to get ready—a long, pale-sage dress with floral patterns my outfit of the day.

“Should I fetch you something to eat?” the maid asked as she finished working on my hair. Two loose braids were swept away from my face and secured on the back of my head with an elegant flower-cluster hair clip made of sparkling gems.

“No, I will come down for breakfast. Will you show me the way to the dining room?”

Her eyes widened before she offered a small smile. “Of course, milady. Are you ready?”

“I am. Well, almost. There is just one more thing.”

I rose from the vanity and walked over to my bed, where the crumpled-up note from Finn still rested on my pillow. I picked it up and threw it in the waste bin before exiting my room.

“Do the Queen Mother and Prince Tarn usually join the king for meals?” I asked Inara as we descended the staircase to the first floor.

“They occasionally join him, but it was only His Majesty and his advisers in the dining room this morning before I came up to answer your summons.” When a breath of relief inadvertently escaped me at her words, her hand flew up to her mouth to conceal a faint smile. “The king will be delighted you decided to join him for breakfast. He always asks about you at every meal.”

My heart gave a little jolt in anticipation. I couldn’t wait to see Adrian’s reaction to my presence. With the bubbly excitement came a bit of apprehension, and for a split second, I considered turning back and retreating to my chambers.

“We’re here.” Inara led me through a set of double doors.

There was no turning back now as we entered the dining room. My gaze immediately stretched to the head of the long wooden table, but I didn’t find Adrian there. The space went silent as Tom and Thea abruptly stopped their conversation. They were seated next to each other on the left side of the table, near the head.

“Emelin?” Thea asked in a bewildered tone.

“Good morning.” The greeting came out as a croak, and I cleared my throat before continuing. “Where is Adrian?” I walked along the length of the table with Inara trailing behind me.

Thea and Tom only stared at me as I stopped by the seat on the right side, opposite them.

Inara pulled the chair out for me, moving it back after I had lowered myself into it. “What would you like to drink, milady?”

“Coffee. Black, with a splash of milk.” After she had disappeared through the servant’s entrance, I prompted. “So, the king?”

Thea came out of her shocked stupor first. “He had some coffee and then left. He said he needed to visit Lord Riestral.”

Tom scoffed. “I can’t imagine what business he might have with that weasel.”

“He went to see Finn?!”

“Finn?!” Thea exclaimed.

At the same time, Tom narrowed his eyes at me. “What did you do?”

“Nothing! I just… I went out to dinner with him the other night.” My cheeks burned with the admission.

Thea’s eyes lit up, and she looked like she couldn’t wait to inquire about every little detail.