Page 228 of Kneel Before Me

The only sound was the crackling of the fireplace. Daphne stared into it without really seeing it, wondering how things could have possibly turned out like this.

Eventually, Kronos said, “Thank you, my queen.” His voice was a monotone.

“Of course,” Deltene said. “I wish I had better news.”

Kronos shook his head. He seemed to finally be beyond words.

“Can we…go?” Daphne whispered. She needed to lie down.

“Go,” Deltene urged. “Sleep if you wish. But know that no amount of rest will fix this.” Her eyes held Daphne’s. “Only one thing will save you.”

The walk through the passageway was silent. There was nothing to say, and Daphne didn’t have the energy to speak anyway. The moment they were back in his chambers, Daphne climbed onto his bed and Kronos did the same.

They stared at each other in the firelight.

“Daphne.” He touched her cheek gently. “I am so sorry.”

His voice was thick with guilt. He blamed himself for this, since he was the one who had crested her. But she had allowed him to do it—practically begged him to. And she didn’t regret it. She was done letting her past cloud her judgment; she would not think the worst of him.

“I failed you,” he whispered. “I did not take the proper steps to protect you.”

Daphne said the one thing she knew now to be true. “You couldn’t have known.”

He shook his head. “I should have anticipated it anyway.”

“You should have anticipated that Caspenon would bite you?”

Kronos shook his head again. “I should have anticipated that there would be consequences. I should have known power would not come without a price. The crest was the only way I could think to gain it without…”

“Having sex with me,” Daphne finished for him. Then she almost laughed. “Look how that worked out.”

Kronos hung his head. “If it is a question of my life or yours, then it is not a question at all.”

“What do you mean?”

“If I am dead, you will no longer be bound by the crest.”

“You’d rather kill yourself than have sex with me?”

“Daphne.” He took her face in his hands. “I have wanted to have sex with you since the moment I met you. But if you are not ready to have sex with me, then death is preferable to forcing myself upon you.”

Her world closed in. This had gone too far. She shook her head. “Your life shouldn’t be on the line.”

“My life is nothing without you in it, Daphne. I was alone before I met you. I had no reason to live. My quiver was the only thing that mattered to me. Now I see a future—a future with you.”

“You can’t possibly think that we could—”

“I think that we could do anything.”

Her breath caught in her chest. She closed her eyes.

“We could do anything we want, Daphne. Name it, and I will make it happen for you. Dream it, and it is yours.”

Her eyes were still closed; she was too scared to open them. She shook her head.

“You don’t understand.”

“What do I not understand? Tell me.”