AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Do not think I do not appreciate your attempt to help.” His expression softened. “I am surprised, you know. What has changed in your feelings towardme?”
Nothing and everything all at once. But she didn’t know how to explain it. Her feelings toward Taveon had always been complicated, and they still were. It was impossible to pinpoint precisely when things began to shift in her heart. One moment, he’d seemed awful. The next, not so much. And then he’d seemed awfulagain.
But then he’d seemed anythingbut.
All she knew was that there was far more to Prince Taveon than met the eye, and she wished the rest of the realm could see it, true-born son of Midas ornot.
“I think I was wrong to trust Lord Dagen,” she admitted. “Not that I actually trusted him. I just thought he was the better of the two ofyou.”
Taveon’s lips quirked. “The lesser of twoevils.”
“Exactly,” she said. “But I was wrong, and I’msorry.”
“And I was wrong to treat you as I did. I am sorry for that. I truly am.” He pulled a deep breath into his lungs, causing the tightly-coiled muscles of his chest to stiffen beneath his thin tunic. Bree couldn’t help but stare at him. He had always been beautiful in a deadly, dangerous sort of way. But now that she was seeing the truth beneath the mask, he was even more gorgeous than she’d everthought.
Strong and powerful, and something so muchmore.
Her cheeks flamed, and she glanced away. “You don’t need to apologize again. You know that, right? I mean, that’s why I’m stillhere.”
Taveon’s expression grew thoughtful and grave. “You should go now, Bree, before the battles begin. I cannot say what will happen in the realm once they begin. The Court could be in turmoil. Fights may break out. It may be violent here for a good while to come. It can be when the future of the throne is souncertain.”
“No,” she said firmly, a new kind of resolve strengthening in her gut. She hadn’t known what she would do, not until now, but she should have realized it the moment she’d decided not to run. She never would have been able to leave. There was too much left in Underworld for her to do. She had unfinished business, and she wouldn’t abandon ship until they were out of the stormy seas. “I am staying. I will see this thing through to theend.”
Taveon’s eyes widened. “You want to stay? But Bree, what about your freedom? What about everything you have wanted all thistime?”
Her lips twisted into a wry smile. “Don’t I have my freedom now? To stay or to go, it’s my choice. You aren’t forcing me to stay here anymore. You aren’t holding me against my will. No more chains or prison cells or grungy dungeons. You have given me a choice. And I amstaying.”
Taveon’s face lit up, and his hand reached out toward her body as if instinctively. Bree’s breath stilled in her lungs, and her heart lurched in her chest. His fingers grazed her waist. A thousand tiny sparks lit up along her skin. What in the name of the forest was he doing? And, more importantly, why did it make her feel so damnalive?
“Oh.” He stared at where his hand met her waist, and then he pulled it back, as if he had just realized what his body had done. “I am sorry. I should not have touched you likethat.”
“It’s okay.” She smiled, stepped up to him, and placed a hand on his chest. “I don’tmind.”
Taveon shuddered underneath her touch and wrapped his fingers around hers, pressing her hand against his chest as tight as he could. “Do you feelthis?”
Underneath her fingertips, she could feel the rapid beat of his heart. She nodded, eyes wide. Her heart was doing exactly thesame.
“This is relief, and this is happiness all rolled into one. I am glad you are staying,Bree.”
“Good.” She smiled up at him. “Because I am not just going to stay. I am going to fight for you, too. I want to be yourchampion.”
