Page 73 of A Fate In Moonstone

The guards murmured as we passed and there wasn’t anything I could do to stop them. The rumors, the gossip would spread like fire.

More fucking problems.

The first empty room I found was the armory and closed the door behind us.

“Are you two fucking?” Tor ripped his hand from mine and stood there, fingers gripping his hair.

“No,” Rune answered first.

“Tor.” I sighed and watched him pace near a wall of swords. His fingers flexing and clenching at his sides.

“Tell me everything.”

My chest ached, and I opened my mouth to speak but the words were stuck in my throat. Tor stopped and faced me.

“Or don’t tell me. Fuck! I don’t know.”

He closed his eyes.

“I’m sorry. I did try.” Tears sprang free and Rune was there at my side, as steady as a rock to ground me. Tor watched his brother move with such tenderness, his mouth parted, and his eyes widened.

Rune saw my struggle and took over.

“I arrived early to access the kingdom before your arrival,” Rune explained. “We met then and did not know who the other was.”

Tor’s heartbeat was steady and I saw his hand twitch, like he was testing every word for lies.

I suddenly found my voice again. “We fought the pull to each other, choosing to do the right thing. It wasn’t until the morning before the engagement that we realized we were mates.”

Tor closed his eyes and shook his head.

I hated this. My chest hurt, and my stomach twisted in knots.

“I was going to talk to you, and my parents, when my father made the decision for me.”

Tor leaned against the wall, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. “I knew you didn’t agree to it. I just…”

Had hope. Tor had hope that I wanted the engagement. Wanted him.

“I do like you, Tor. You are strong, and kind, and a friend. But he’s my mate. I—”

“Yeah, I get it. Matched by fate. Destined by the stars and all. Still should have said something. Anything instead of leading me on for weeks. You know I’d get it.”

Maybe he would have, maybe not. I don’t know and I don’t possess the power to reverse time to try.

“You didn’t truly want her. You were just doing as you were told.” Rune snarled, and I placed a hand on his chest to keep from launching toward his brother.

Tor had a right to be upset, and the way Rune spoke made it seem like Tor was settling for me.

Which we’d spoken about upon meeting. Neither one of us were excited to get married to each other. But we were giving it a try.

“We didn’t tell you sooner because we were told not to by our kingdom’s seer.”

Tor blew out a loud breath and crossed his arms over his chest. “I knew something bad was coming. It’s got something to with your dad, doesn’t it?”

I nodded, my mouth opening and closing like a gasping fish. How did he know?

“I’m a human lie detector, and the king is slick with words, but I can tell. He’s like a snake. That’s why I was pushing for us to go back to Regno De Lupi after the wedding.” Tor sighed, his back slid down the wall to sit on the stone floor. His head was in his hands. He was trying to get me away from here, away from danger.