The Beauty of Darkness - Mary E. Pearson Page 0,150

to check on Lia during the night. I had seen his hand resting on her bed and her hand curled over his. Both of them were asleep, peaceful. I backed out of the room quietly so they wouldn’t see me. Maybe that was what had given me the courage to tell her the truth. I knew she didn’t love him in the same the way she did me. I had seen her eyes when she first saw me in the armory, and then the hurt when I told her about my betrothal, but she cared about Kaden too. They shared something that she and I didn’t—the roots of one kingdom and their love for another.

He still hadn’t noticed me. Instead he stared into the darkness and his hand absently fingered the sheathed dagger at his side, as if a scene was playing out in his head. I could imagine what it was.

I swallowed my pride and approached him. I had told Lia I had already made my peace with him. Now I actually had to do it.

CHAPTER SEVENTY

KADEN

I didn’t hear him coming until he was upon me. I startled and turned. “What do you want?” I asked.

“I’m here to talk about—”

I swung, catching him in the jaw, and he flew backward and fell, the sword buckled at his side clattering on the stone floor.

He slowly got to his feet, his expression livid, and he wiped the corner of his mouth, blood staining his fingertips. “What the hell is the matter with you?”

“Just preempting a shot from you. I seem to recall that the last time you snuck up on me wanting to talk, you punched me, then slammed me up against the barracks wall, accusing me of all kinds of delusional things.”

“Is this a preemptive strike or a payback?”

I shrugged. “Maybe both. What are you sneaking around for this time?”

He studied me, his chest heaving, rage sparking in his eyes. I knew he wanted to take a swing, but somehow he managed to keep his hands at his sides. “One, I wasn’t sneaking,” he finally said, “And two, the reason I came was to thank you for staying by Lia’s side.”

Thank me? “So you can take her back to Dalbreck now?”

The anger drained from his face. “Lia is never going back to Dalbreck with me.”

I was suspicious of the sudden turnaround in his demeanor almost as much as his declaration.

“I’m betrothed to another,” he explained.

I huffed out a disbelieving breath.

“It’s true,” he said. “The news has been heralded all over Dalbreck. Lia will never be going there.”

It was the last news I expected to hear. He was moving on? “Then why are you here?”

His lips quirked in an odd way. He didn’t look like the arrogant farmer or emissary, or even the prince I had known.

“I’m here for the same reasons you are. The same reason Lia is. Because we want to save the kingdoms that matter to us.”

“They all matter to Lia.”

His expression darkened. “I know.”

“And that pains you.”

“We’ve all had to make hard choices—and sacrifices. I recognize the one you made helping us escape from Venda. I’m sorry I didn’t say it before.”

The words came out stiff and practiced, but were still an apology I never expected to hear. I nodded, wondering if he was still going to take a crack at me. There hadn’t been time when we met up at the cottage. Finding Lia, Pauline, and Gwyneth had been all that mattered.

I reached out cautiously, offering my hand. “Congratulations on your betrothal.”

He took it with the same caution. “Thank you,” he answered.

Our hands returned to our sides in the same measured moves. He continued to eye me as if there was more he wanted to say. I had heard him come in last night and saw him when he quietly left the room. For someone betrothed to another, he didn’t hide his feelings well.

“I’ll see you out in the plaza,” he finally said. “What she faces there today will be harder for her than the traitors she confronted last night. She won’t be facing those she needs to throw in prison, but those she needs to rally. She’ll need us both there.”

He started to leave, then glanced down the dark stairwell and back at me. “Don’t do it,” he said, his gaze meeting mine. “The time will come, but not now. Not this way. You’re better than him.”

And then he walked away.

* * *

I left my weapons with the guard before I entered the cell. My