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“Not remarkable?” He stilled, moving nothing but his eyes, which he flashed to my face. A sudden sadness filled his gaze as if he felt sorry for me. “Then you’re not seeing what I s
ee.”
I let out a harsh laugh. “Oh, I think I see plenty of myself. I know me better than you do, sir, and I am not—”
“No,” he said softly. “You’re too close. All you can focus on are the flaws and the fears and insecurities. Take a step back, my lady, back here from where I’m standing. Then you’ll be able to see the whole picture like you’ve never seen yourself before. Because I can see your insecurities and fears, too, the flaws you think you have. I see it all. The good and the bad. And those things you don’t like, that feel so significant and huge and insurmountable from up close… Well, from back here, they’re just little specks that can be brushed off with a flick of the finger, because the rest of you…” He nodded, sending me a slow smile of approval. “The rest of you far and beyond overshadows those murky spots. You are a good, caring, honest, and loyal woman. I do not believe my mark is wrong. You are where I belong.”
My heart nearly burst through my chest. I stared at him, with no idea how to react, no idea what to say. A fresh tear slid down my cheek.
“Vienne,” he whispered as if in pain. “Please, darling. Don’t cry.”
Just as he took a single step toward me, Caulder strode into the room. When he saw Urban and me, facing each other and standing nearly fifteen feet apart, he slowed to a stop, glancing suspiciously between us.
“What’re you two doing alone together?”
“It was quite by accident,” I rushed to assure him, quickly dashing my tear away. “Yasmin was here too, but she—” Realizing Yasmin had been trying to break faith with the very man before me, I gaped at him, too stunned to remember what I’d been saying.
Poor Caulder was a cuckold. The king. What would he do if he knew? How would the kingdom suffer?
“Yasmin,” he repeated, focusing on me. “Yes, I need her. Which way did she go?”
Urban was the one who pointed. “I believe she went that way, Your Majesty.”
“Very good. Thank you.” He started to trail after his wife, only to pause and motion between me and Urban. “And I don’t think it’s wise for you two to linger in any room alone together, not even one as open and public as this. I can certainly tell you weren’t getting into any mischief, but Soren wouldn’t if he’d been the one to stumble across you.” His gaze strayed meaningfully to me. “You know what I promised him if you ever broke your wedding vows, do you not?”
Wincing, I nodded. “Yes, I know.”
Narrowing his eyes, Urban stepped forward. “Well, I don’t know. What did you promise?”
Caulder glanced his way, drew in a breath and answered, “I promised my cousin your head on a pike.” Urban’s jaw tightened but he didn’t respond until the king added, “Plus Vienne’s exile from the castle… Away from her child. She could never have contact with Anniston again.”
“What?!” Urban finally roared in outrage. “That’s ridiculous. You can’t take her daughter from her.”
Caulder lifted a single eyebrow. “I’m the king. I can do whatever I want.”
Huffing out an aggravated breath, Urban growled, “But you must know she would never—”
“I do know,” Caulder answered, cutting him off. His eyes sliced my way. “I know exactly how honorable Vienne is. And that is why I had no problem making her husband such a promise. But…” He turned back to Urban. “I’m sure it would help if you didn’t try to tempt her away from her vows in the meanwhile.”
Urban bowed instantly…to me, not the king. “I won’t,” he promised. “I won’t let you lose your daughter. I swear it.” When he straightened, his gaze apologized for the situation we’d been put into.
I wanted to tell him it wasn’t his fault, he’d never forced my ass of a husband to come up with such a threatening ultimatum. But with the king standing between us, I feared saying anything. So, our gazes were forced to speak volumes in apology and regret before we simultaneously turned our backs to each other and departed the room, going in separate directions and leaving through separate exits.
And though no matter which way either of us went, I felt the distinct impression that a part of us stayed together.
That was the first time I felt the bond between us outside our dreams. And that’s when I really started to believe; I was his one true love, wasn’t I?
How remarkable.
Chapter 28
Urban
Vienne’s husband was a dick. Period.
I couldn’t believe he’d talked Caulder into making the promise of taking her baby from her for any reason. It pissed me off on all kinds of levels, not only because it insured our separation and put more undue stress and strain on her, but I had thought the king and his cousin would have more faith in her than that. My one true love was an honest, loyal woman. Fuck them for having any kind of doubt she wasn’t.
Though Vienne hadn’t thought I’d been serious about the ale, I did indeed imbibe every night before bed to avoid initiating as much dream sex as possible.
