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It was her turn to quell his. Maybe. If fear was something he felt. Perhaps anger was a better description, but that anger stemmed from something.
Arianna swallowed hard. It had started with her. She’d caused that anger—or at least her decisions had—but she couldn’t regret those decisions. She wouldn’t regret loving Rion.
Arianna tightened her hand around her mate’s. She’d voiced her plans earlier that evening knowing exactly how much he’d despise them.
Rion had ground his teeth and turned away to stare at the fire before reluctantly nodding. Now he walked with her, following Talon’s scent down the path until they were staring at the large waterfalls in the distance. Talon sat alone and Arianna’s heart pulled at the sight.
She squeezed Rion’s hand once. “I won’t be long.”
He kissed her brow. “I’ll be nearby.”
Arianna nodded again, forever grateful for his understanding even if she knew it killed him. But they were getting ready to head to the royal city, to Ruadhán, and this was a conversation she needed to have before they left.
Arianna walked across the grass on silent feet. At one time in her life, she might have jumped at every sound and crack in the night, but she’d experienced a different sort of danger while in captivity. A darkness that made the natural night beautiful by comparison.
Talon turned at her approach but didn’t smile. He stood and placed a glass down on the stone before glancing behind her form. His eyes scanned the tree line.
“He’s not coming,” she said simply.
His brow furrowed in confusion then he took her in, eyes traveling over her casual top and pants. She didn’t know what he searched for exactly. “What are you doing out here?”
She moved past him and Talon followed her with a heavy gaze. He grimaced when she picked up a bottle and examined the amber liquid inside.
Arianna raised a brow at him. “You drink now?”
Talon didn’t snatch the bottle away. He didn’t even reach for it. He just sat back down on the large flat boulder and stared out across the water. “Not really.”
Silence stretched between them, then she sat at his side and placed the bottle within his reach.
He’d seemed so relaxed from a distance, but now her friend carried a new sort of tension in his shoulders. His breathing was strained and his heart beat faster than it should.
“I wanted to thank you,” Arianna said, staring at her hands. “For coming with me to see my father and for escorting Rion through the city.” Talon stiffened and more memories of all the things he’d done for her drifted through her mind.
Him standing with her as they fought for Levea. Him showing up just in time to save her mate. The fact that he was still searching for her mother’s murderer even after all these years.
She shook her head. “You’ve done so much for me.” And he’d asked for nothing in return.
“You’re welcome.” Silence. Arianna swallowed the lump forming in her throat. This could be goodbye. If they couldn’t reconcile, if Talon didn’t want to stand by her anymore because of Rion. She swallowed again. She wouldn’t force him.
“Are you coming to Ruadhán with us?”
“My High Lord has commanded me to.”
A stone settled in her stomach. Commanded. She studied the rock they sat on and lowered her voice. “And if I commanded you otherwise?”
She saw his head turn but didn’t possess the courage to meet his gaze. “Is that what you want?” Pain lanced his voice so deep it splintered her heart.
“No,” she said too quickly. She’d wanted to appear calm about it so he wouldn’t feel any sort of guilt, but her voice betrayed her. Gods, she hated this. “I want you with me, but if you don’t want to come—”
“You think I’d just let you walk into unknown territory without protection?”
“I’ll have Father’s elite with me. I have Ellie and Rion.” Talon clenched his jaw. “I want you with us, I just don’t want you to feel obligated.”
Silence stretched between them again. The water fell, its relentless weight crashing into the pool at its base. The moon cast its light upon the land, bathing everything with an ethereal glow. And Arianna’s heart ached at the sight of it all.
Because this used to be the easy part. Beneath the stars she’d found solstice and sanctuary, stealing moments with friends and family. It was the one place they could escape the heavy expectations put on them by those of higher rank.
But now. She swallowed the lump in her throat. She wanted to run, but there was nowhere left to turn. No other refuge to which she could retreat.
