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I stop his kiss with a finger across his soft lips.
His glow vanishes completely.
“I won’t be some replacement for your lost love,” I say.
I might want to—okay, I totally do—but it’s the kind of wanting that leads to regret, to heartache. Being a replacement would never be enough for me, not even with someone I plan to leave as soon as I can. Anything we shared would stick with me like Super Glue, clinging to my heart and chaffing long, long after he’s nothing but a memory.
One moment of pleasure isn’t worth that pain.
He takes my hand, dragging it down his chest until it rests over his heart. It races as fast as mine. Maybe faster.
“You were willing to risk your whole kingdom for this woman, and yet you stand here and flirt with me?” My nails dig into his shirt, but he doesn’t even flinch.
“Wren—”
“Tell me I’m wrong.”
With a near growl, he shoves off the wall and turns his back on me. “She’s dead.”
“What?” I nearly slide down to the floor.
“She died years ago,” he whispers.
Years ago. Again, he says it as if so much time has passed. The lingering sting of my parent’s death creeps into the back of my mind, settling down in the wake of my anger. Even though it’s been years, some days, the loss still cuts as sharply as the day my world shattered.
“Si—”
But he vanishes, taking all my anger with him.
I pull my arms around myself, suddenly cold and lonely as ever. As I walk the few steps to my room, thoughts chase me, but one calls louder than the others.
If Evelyn died years ago, then who exactly did Galen steal away for Sigurd?
Chapter 17
Myeaglefriendkeepsme company until I fall asleep. I don’t have any words for him—thank goodness he doesn’t need them—but his presence makes me feel better all the same. He’s still there, snoozing near the cadmum flowers in their vase, when I wake up. I’d swear the darn bird nearly purrs when I stroke his head.
I wash and change but don’t have the courage to venture into the sitting room. Running into Sigurd again after last night is just…
“Nope, not happening,” I tell the eagle. “What would I even say to him?”
It cocks his head at me where I sit at the end of the bed, waiting for Uncle Mark to show up and retrieve me. Something else fun to look forward to.
“I’m sorry the woman you love died. That’s no excuse for being an idiot and starting a war.” I flop back onto the sheets. “What kind of king risks his people for petty revenge?”
The eagle squawks and hops near.
“Yes, petty,” I say when he blinks at me. “What else would you call it? The other king didn’t hurt her. She wasn’t unhappy. Seems like she mighta preferred it there. Maybe? Anyhow, if it was years ago, he should have just let bygones be bygones instead of stirring up trouble.”
He squawks, and I decide he must agree.
I roll over and prop my head on my hands, staring down the eagle. It might be dumb being this close to a bird who could pluck my eyes out, but if he really wanted to do that, surely he would have already. “What do you think? Is he horrible or just stupid?”
He snaps his beak, and I rear back.
“Hey, what the—”
A hard rap on the door startles the eagle as much as me, and he flies off through the balcony curtains. “Weird bird,” I mutter, then louder, “Who is it?”
