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“I don’t think I’ve processed everything, really. Between the fighting and my father . . . I just . . . it’s all so exhausting.” She put down the mug and took up a spoon, carefully testing the temperature before eating.
We spent the rest of the meal in silence.
When she patted her lips with a napkin, I stood and held out my hand. “I think both of us could use a good night’s sleep.”
Her eyes watered as she placed her hand in mine. “I don’t know if I can sleep. Not with everything so uncertain.”
Tugging her to me, I took her face with my hands and pressed my forehead against hers.
“I know this could be our last night and there’s not anything else that I would rather do, but we both used a lot of magic.” I rubbed my thumb across her cheeks. “You need to rest.”
“I know.” Her words came out in a whisper, and she closed her eyes. “But if this is our last night together, how can we just sleep?”
One tear rolled down her cheek and I kissed it. “We don’t know that for certain, and I’m not ready to give you up so easily.”
With that confirmation, she breathed deeply and nodded, a slight smile on her face. “I know I’m a princess and I am bound by duty, but I also know I love you.”
My heart lurched at her confession. “I love you too.”
And then I kissed her, slow and deep. Part of me wanted to do so much more, but my limbs and muscles begged me to go lay down. I pulled back, kissing her on the cheek and guiding her to the bed.
Without an argument, she squeezed my hand, and I lifted the blanket so she could climb in, then I laid beside her. I tucked her close against my chest until we were cocooned around each other. I closed my eyes, leaning into her hair, holding her hands as if I was never letting her go. Within moments, soft breaths left her lips, and I knew she had fallen asleep. I kissed the back of her head and then followed her into her dreams.
