entitled ta forgiveness. Stop punishin’ yourself.”
“How?”
“Start by takin’ your own advice. Tell Veronica everythin’. Do not let this darkness come between you.”
After a moment, his jaw hardened and he straightened his shoulders. “Ye’re right, I need to face the consequences o’ my actions and let my queen decide.”
I opened my hand, where I still held his ring. “Will ye take this now?”
With a tight nod, he lifted it from my palm. Although he slipped the ring into his pocket instead of putting it on, his acceptance of the imperial symbol heartened me.
He stood and extended a hand to help me to my feet. “My thanks, bráthair. I know what I need ta do now.” He clasped a hand on my shoulder. “After we see ye off at the Brig o’ Doon, I’ll find a way to tell Verranica the truth. All of it.”
CHAPTER 32
Veronica
Mending one’s cloak didn’t seem like the best use of time when others prepared for battle all around me, but I found the mindless kinetic activity calming. Even if I sucked at it. I stared at the uneven stitches tugging the gaping edges of the rough-hewn fabric together, and inexplicable tears stung my throat. Addie had torn a hole in Jamie, one I had no idea how to fix.
We were headed into a fight that we may not survive, but instead of facing it as a united front, the gap between us grew wider by the day. I needed him whole and by my side. Puncturing the fabric, I yanked the thread up and then down again, tugging tight. If only I could bring Jamie and me back together so easily.
“Will ye please come with me, Yer Majesty?” I started and pricked my finger, blood surging in a scarlet bead. I stuck it in my mouth and glanced up to find Gabby Rosetti’s pale green eyes sparkling with mischief.
The girl likely had some diversion planned and I’m sure she meant well, but I had a million and one things on my to-do list; after I finished sewing my cloak, I had a meeting with Oliver to discuss a strategy for his explosive devices, then target/self-defense practice with Ana, followed by a gathering to resolve several disputes that had cropped up around camp. I took my stinging finger out of my mouth. “Thank you, but I can’t—”
Before I could finish, Sofia appeared and took my arm, lifting me to my feet. The girl was tiny, but mighty when she set her mind to something. “Queen Veronica, Prince Jamie has requested your presence.”
My gut clenched. Jamie’s unpredictability made me nervous, and I hated to admit it, even to myself, but I’d been avoiding him.
“And we’re ta prepare ye!” Gabby took my other arm and tugged me away from the fire circle.
I didn’t like the sound of that. “What do you mean, prepare me?”
Gabby squeezed my arm and whispered, “ ’Tis a surprise.”
We entered the laundry tent, where huge pots of clothing boiled over a fire, the scents of lye and pine coating my throat. I raised my hand to cover a cough. Women scrubbed fabric against washboards and then dunked them into the vats, stirring with long poles. Lines were strung above our heads, draped with clothing of all shapes and sizes in various states of dampness. The laundry shelter had been set up to protect our clothes from the frequent rain showers. Doc Benior had advised that dry clothes were essential to keeping illness at bay.
“Ma, did ye find what we requested?” Sofia asked.
Sharron Rosetti appeared, swiped a strand of sweaty, gray-blonde hair off her forehead and grinned. “That, I did.” Then she hustled away.
“Sofia, what’s going on?” I hated surprises. In my experience, they never turned out well.
“Here it is!” Mrs. Rosetti said in a singsong voice as she held out two garments—something that resembled a short sundress in a faded plaid and a pair of lacy pantaloons in a matching seafoam green.
“What in the heck is that?” I yelped.
The Rosetti sisters giggled, but didn’t explain.
“Oh, and I found the matching bonnet!” Sharron said in triumph as she pulled a ruffled cap from her pocket. She leaned in and whispered, “Embrace this second chance ye’ve been given.”
I wanted to. I really did, but apprehension squeezed my chest and stilted my breath. At first, it had been enough that Jamie lived. Now I worried the boy I’d fallen in love with was gone forever. And since he wouldn’t talk about what he’d gone through, I had no clue