Shauna smiled. “He’s Caleb, and that’s all he wants to be. Will you speak to him?” his sister asked and was thankful when Willow nodded.
It didn’t take Shauna long to find her brother, since he was right outside the door with Jonas, waiting.
Shauna told him what Willow wanted and stepped aside when he moved to enter the room.
“Caleb,” his sister said, touching his wrist. “I can tell you for certain she loves you.”
He looked like he wanted to smile, but just couldn’t.
Shauna closed her eyes vowing silently to never fight with him again.
Jonas went to her and closed his arms around her. “I’ll most likely be taking her home, love,” he whispered into her hair. “He knows he won’t see her again until her father is dead.”
“Will you do it?” she asked him.
“I will do as he asks.”
She sighed, knowing Jonas was loyal to Caleb, as his father had been to King Samuel.
“Willow.”
She went still at the sound of his voice. The voice of the king. She wiped her eyes and turned to face him from where she sat on the bed. The instant she looked at him she knew she had been wrong in her earlier thinking that Caleb’s hatred for her father had to do with the crown her father had stolen and nothing else. Caleb loved Predaria. She thought of the fire blowers and the irrigation tanks and all the work Caleb put into keeping the land alive. She thought of his beautiful wheat fields and remembered the pride and love that poured forth from his eyes when he gazed upon them. But even that love paled in comparison when he looked at her. She knew Caleb loved her, and she knew she would get back to him.
He took a step toward her and then sat on the bed next to her. “Shauna told me what you want.” He stared at his hands. “I don’t want you to come back because your father’s life depends on it. This isn’t a trade. I want you to come back because you want to…because you love me.” He looked at her finally, but she studied the window straight ahead of her, not daring to look at him for fear she would never leave.
“I wish to take you back myself.”
“No,” she told him. “Do this one thing for me. I could not bear it if either one of you hurt or killed the other. Please, Caleb.”
“Jonas and some Prandarian Warriors then,” he relented.
“No.” She turned to him now and felt her breath catch in her throat at the sorrow in his gaze.
“Your father will be in no danger. Jonas and the other Warriors will obey me, you know that.”
“Promise me, Caleb.”
He closed his eyes for a moment and inhaled uncomfortably, as if he were inhaling the bitterness of his own words. “Someday he will have to pay for what he’s done. I told you that on the plains. But I will not use you to get to him. I vow it to you.”
“Very well.” Willow stared into his eyes. “Thank you.”
“I will wait for you,” Caleb told her, taking her hand and kissing it. “Send word if you can and I will come to wherever you need me.” He waited a moment, but there was nothing more to say. He left the room quietly.
Jonas agreed to take her back and went to scout out three more men. They would leave her at the doors of the palace. Baltrasard would not be touched.
An hour later, Jonas had found three Warriors and they waited to go. Willow had not left the room until it was time to leave. Caleb went to get her. They walked outside together in silence, and when they reached the horses, Caleb helped her mount. He stepped back once she was saddled and secure, but never took his eyes off her.
They were about to depart when Willow turned to him, as though the torment in their hearts were calling to each other, pulling them back together. She vaulted from her horse and leapt into his arms.
“I love you,” she cried. “Oh, I love you, Caleb.”
“And I love you,” Caleb told her. He held her for a long time, whispering words of love into her ear until he finally, gently pushed her away toward her horse. “Go. Go on.”
And then she was gone.
He turned to his sister, his heart struggling to remain in his chest and not burst forth after the woman he loved.