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Chapter 43
Taveon
“What in thename of the forest have I done?” Taveon dropped his head into his hands, regret and horror churning through his gut. Bree had come storming into his room, demanding explanations he wasn’t prepared to give. She had gotten so close to the truth. The horrible, miserable truth he’d been hiding for so long that he’dsnapped.
He’d let his panic get the better of him. His fear. And his pain. It was as if she’d found a wound, one that had scabbed over but only just so. And then she’d scratched it until it bled all overagain.
But regardless of how he might have felt, what he’d done was so wrong that he felt physically sick from it. The look on her face when he’d spewed all that nonsense he didn’t mean...it made his heart clench tight in his chest. Her body shook with silent sobs, and he’d sworn he’d seen her eyes fill withtears.
“Taveon, you monster,” he muttered to himself. All this time, he’d tried to convince himself that he was better than his father. And yet, he’d yelled horrible things at a girl who had tried so hard to mend the broken bridges betweenthem.
And Rafe...his old friend would never forgive him for this. He’d never approved of how he’d treated Bree since bringing her to the castle. And Taveon couldn’t blame him. In his attempts to keep a wall up between himself and his champion, he’d formed a twisted kind of black hole that sucked everything positive about himaway.
He couldn’t continue on like this. He couldn’t let Bree storm off, thinking that was how he really felt about her. He would come clean, if that was what he had to do. Perhaps it was time to trust the girl who was fighting for him. Perhaps it was time to open up to someone other thanRafe.
But even if he didn’t tell her everything, she had to know that he didn’t mean anything he’d justsaid.
In fact, he felt the opposite, as strange as that was. Over the past few weeks, Bree had shown him a different side to humanity, one that was far from the violent selfish creatures he’d always imagined. His father had always spoken of humans as if they were annoying little insects who waged war and who would continue to wage war until they were all gone. But that was so far away from everything Bree Paine was. She was kind and smart and fierce. And she wastough.
And yet Taveon had taken that and thrown it right into her face. He’d broken that strength with his horriblewords.
He had to make it up toher.
Taveon shoved open his door and strode with purpose through the castle until he reached Rafe’s quarters. But when his old friend opened up the door, Rafe’s immediate question was, “Have you seenBree?”
“That is why I am here,” Taveon said, his heart clenching at how Rafe would react when he found out what Taveon had said to Bree. “I am looking for her. I need to...apologize.”
Rafe let out a sigh and shook his head. “What have you done now, oldfriend?”
“I said some things I did not mean, and I need to make itright.”
“Well, she is not here,” Rafe said. “Check with Ethne. I know they went for a walk together earlier. But don’t worry. The guards must be with her. They certainly are nothere.”
Taveon nodded, scanning the corridor. He hoped the guards were with Bree. But she’d been so upset when she’d run from Taveon’s chambers. What if she’d tried to evade them? What if she’d gone off by herself and was wandering the castle alone? Or worse...what if she’d left the castle entirely so that she could head back to her realm? The Wilde Fae could easily get to her on that path. And if the assassin was biding his time, waiting for the perfect moment tostrike...
“We need to form a search party,” Taveon barked. “I fear she is not safe. Her life could be indanger.”
Instantly, Rafe had a sword in his hands and had joined Taveon in the corridor. The two of them strode toward the barracks where they would find some guards to join the search. Taveon could scarcely believe how scared he felt. And, this time, it had nothing to do with the crown or his upcoming battle. He no longer cared if Bree fought for him. He would gladly give all of it up just to know she wassafe.
If and when he found her, he knew exactly what he would do next. It was the only course of action. The only path he could take. And he could not believe he had never considered it untilnow.
Taveon would tell Bree everything, and then he would give her the freedom she deserved. She would no longer have to fight as hischampion.
