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“Of course, Your Majesty.” My bodyguard inclined his head and stepped toward me, his hand on the hilt of his sword as his gaze moved to meet mine.
Swinging an incredulous glance toward my brother, I cried, “But, Brentley, I’m not—”
“I said he is to escort you to your room, and that is final,” the king announced.
Losing all sense of the calm I’d just obtained, I sighed impatiently and muttered, “Whatever,” before storming from the dining hall altogether.
I might have the perfect life, but that didn’t mean I loved being coddled as much as I was. It could be downright suffocating at times.
Indigo started after me, keeping about ten feet behind, well aware I wouldn’t welcome his overbearing presence any closer.
“You know, I’m fine,” I snapped, not even bothering to glance back to gift him with the force of my frown. “Not thinking of death here at all.” Except maybe his death. Not a permanent one, of course, just one long enough to help me exercise my current frustrations with him. An hour or two worth of death, tops.
“Of course, my lady,” he returned, his words indulgent. I pinched my lips together and kept marching.
Okay, maybe a full fortnight of death.
I just couldn’t believe he’d revealed all that in front of my entire family. Now everyone was going to be as overprotective and concerned as he was. I’d be smothered into insanity from an over-abundance of love and affection within the week.
I could literally strangle Indigo for this, I swear.
Once we reached my chambers, I spun to glare at him. “Did you want to come inside? Make sure I don’t have any poison to drink or a dagger lying around that I might stab myself with?”
He sighed and turned away. “Goodnight, my lady.”
Argh. Someday, I really might throttle him. He always argued with me when I wanted him to shut up and then backed off and meekly turned away when I was finally ready to argue back. It was so maddening.
But then I remembered once more that all this had come about because he genuinely cared about me.
So I calmed myself enough to say, “Indigo?”
He paused and glanced back, his expression full of caution.
“How…” I paused to clear my throat. “How long did that girl—the one you knew in High Cliff—go without her partner before she—well, you know?”
Indigo lowered his gaze to his hands. “About five years,” he murmured.
I gulped, feeling all warmth and color drain from my face.
Because five years.
The same amount of time I’d gone without my mate.
In a small voice, I whispered, “Oh.”
“Nic.” He stepped toward me. “That doesn’t mean anything, though. You know Allera and Urban’s brother, Olivander?”
Actually, I’d never met him, but I nodded anyway, since I’d heard plenty of stories.
Indigo nodded too. “Well, he sent his much-younger true love off to Tipton for schooling nearly ten years ago, and they’re both still perfectly healthy and fine without each other.”
“Thank you, Indy,” I said quietly, lifting my hand to grip his arm, which instantly confused him. “Thank you for your concern. It is nice to know you care.”
“Of course, I care. You truly are like a sister to me. If anything happened to you, I wouldn’t…” He paused, then shook his head, unable to finish the sentiment. Straightening his spine, he said, “Well, I just wouldn’t like it.”
Overwhelmed by my feelings, I lunged forward and hugged him. He hugged me back, holding on tight.
“I’m not sure what’s going on with me,” I admitted into his ear. “But I’m certain it will pass.”
