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“Really? You would’ve married Cyr knowing that the only reason was because some witch was going to come for you one day and try to steal your place on the throne?”
I sighed. “No,” I conceded. “But I would’ve tried to stop it, somehow. I was protected so long as I was in the palace, right? So, maybe all I had to do was wait until after my twenty first birthday.”
“It didn’t sound that simple to me when mother explained it.”
“Well,Idon’t know how prophecies and ancient spells work. What I do know is that I had a bond already, with Valerian.”
“I know,” he said, nodding. “I could smell it on both of you the moment I saw you.” He took a deep breath, then exhaled. “Is he good to you?”
“I think so… I certainly feel like I’ve changed thanks to him. I can’t believe I just left him there…”
“You did the best thing for him. He’s out of danger because of you.”
“Is he? I don’t know if Malys called off her Wenlow.”
“Malys has no interest in Valerian now that she has you.”
“How do you know that? It’s my bond with Valerian that made her spell start falling apart. For all I know, he’s dead, and she’s already won.”
Radulf shook his head. “She needsyou, not him, and she already has you. Valerian is safe. All we have to do is figure out a way to get out of here.”
“There is no getting out of here, Radulf.”
“What?” he frowned, “Yes, there is.”
“Haven’t you been listening? I’m not going anywhere. This conversation hasn’t changed my mind to the fact that I am exactly where I have to be right now, ready to pay for the consequences of my own actions.”
“You can’t give her what she wants, Amara.”
“I love you, Radulf. I do. But I’m sick of being told what I can and can’t do. This time, I want to do what’s right for everyone else, instead of what’s right for me.”
“Do you really think everyone else will be better off with Malys as their Queen?”
“No. But maybe I can convince her to bring mother and father out of their exile… they may not be Royals anymore, but they’ll be here, and you can be a family again.”
“I’m not going to let you throw your life away like this. I won’t.”
“I’m tired of running… I’m tired of fighting… but more than anything, I’m sorry. I’m justsorry. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen, I just wanted to be given a choice. Now I have that power, and I’m making that choice for you, for mum, for dad… for Valerian. I can convince her to make all of this right by you.”
“This can’t be what you want.”
“It’s not what I want, but it’s the choice I’m making.”
Radulf exhaled. It was a frustrated sound that conveyed exactly how he was feeling. I couldn’t blame him for not approving of what I was going to do, but even if there was another way out of this, that way out was wrought with peril, and possibly death. I wasn’t about to put anyone else in danger because of me.
“That has to be the most grown-up thing I’ve ever heard you say,” he said.
“Thanks?”
“I mean it. But I’d sooner die than let you throw your life away like this.”
“Radulf—”
“—you made your choice, I’ve made mine.”
“You may well get the chance, Wolf Lord,”came Malys’ voice, breathed into the room like a cold specter, suddenly and unexpectedly.“But now is not your time. It’s hers.”
CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE
