speak to my daughter. Alone.”
* * *
As soon as the room was emptied and I turned back to him, I saw that his performance had drained him. He sank deeper into the pillows, weaker than before.
His eyes glistened. “I am sorry, Arabella.”
I curled up on the bed beside him, nestling my head on his chest, and he managed to put his arm around my shoulder and pat my arm. He apologized for many things, not the least of which was becoming so weary of his position that he allowed corruption to creep in right beneath his nose.
“I’ve failed as a father and as a king.”
“We all make mistakes, Father. Hopefully, we learn from them and move forward.”
“How did you end up with an assassin and newly crowned king as your confidantes?”
“The gods have a wicked sense of humor.”
“And you trust them?”
I smiled, thinking of all the deceptions and betrayals that had passed between us. “With my life,” I answered.
“Is there anything more to this union?”
Far more, I thought. Maybe more than any of us really understood.
Together they will attack,
Like blinding stars thrown from the heavens.
“Yes,” I answered. “They not only give me hope, they are Venda’s hope too.”
“I meant—”
“I know what you meant, Father. There is nothing more between us.”
“And what is this unpopular decision?”
I told him about the valley where I was moving our forces against the generals’ wishes, and then I told him more of my plan that I hadn’t told anyone else.
“Arabella, you can’t—”
“You promised, Father. This decision is mine.” I slid from the bed. “You should rest.”
He sighed, his lids drooping. “The other kingdoms will never—”
“They will have no choice. On this I won’t be swayed. Please trust me.”
His brows pulled down with worry, but then another question faded on his lips, the last of his energy spent, and his eyes closed.
* * *
My spirits were buoyed as I returned to my room. The image of my parents’ hands laced together kept surfacing. It was a simple gesture that was as unexpected as a summer shower. Some things survived, even when—
Rafe’s door swung open as I passed it, and he barreled out, plowing into me. We stumbled and caught ourselves, his hand landing on the wall behind me.
“Lia,” he said, startled. We were both steady on our feet now, but he didn’t move. The air crackled between us, alive in a way that made my skin tingle. Strain showed in his eyes, and he stepped away, creating space between us, the movement awkward and obvious.
I swallowed, trying to convince myself this was all part of letting go. “Where are you tearing out to?” I asked.
“I need to speak to Sven before dinner. I want to make sure he doesn’t bring his temper to the table. Excuse me, I—”
“I know,” I said flatly. “You need to go.”
He raked back his hair, hesitating. I knew, with that small movement, he was struggling to let go too, a piece at a time. Love didn’t end all at once, no matter how much you needed it to or how inconvenient it was. You couldn’t command love to stop any more than a marriage document could order it to appear. Maybe love had to bleed away a drop at a time until your heart was numb and cold and mostly dead. He shifted on his feet, his eyes not meeting mine.
“I’ll see you at dinner,” he said, and he left to find Sven.
* * *
Shadows danced on the walls from the fire in the hearth. I removed my belts and weapons, hanging them on a hook, and crossed the room to my dressing chamber, feeling my way through the darkness as I let the rest of my clothes fall to the floor. I lit a candle on the bureau and grabbed a towel to wash up, but then something crept over me. A presence.
Jezelia.
I spun, my heart beating wildly, searching the corners of the chamber. His scent filled the air, his sweat, his confidence. My eyes frantically swept the room, combing the shadows, certain he was here.
“Komizar,” I whispered. I heard his steps, saw the glint of his eyes in the darkness, the chill as his hand circled my neck, his thumb pressing the hollow of my throat, feeling for the beat of my heart. There is always more to take.
And then he was gone. The chamber was empty as it always had been, and my breaths skipped through my chest. The lies, they will force themselves upon you. His lies.