You didn’t know we were to be married. I gave up my life, my love, for you. I-I just wanted to say goodbye. That’s all.” Kellin’s shoulders slumped forward.
“And so you did,” I murmured, an ugly image flashing in my mind as Kellin’s fingers brushed against mine, fingers that had been tangled in her long hair while candlelight danced in the background. “You said you’ve loved me for a long time, Kellin. But when did you stop loving her?”
“I have loved you for a long time,” he answered fiercely, ignoring the question that mattered most. “Have I not proven it to you?”
“As a matter of fact, you have.” I nodded, licking my lips and stepping back. “You’re right. I didn’t know we were going to be married. I didn’t love you, not like that, anyway. I’m sorry you gave up so much for me. Neither of us asked for this. I have no business being upset about what happened in Marriot.”
“It’s not like that, Ana.” Kellin took a step toward me. “Don’t be upset with me. Please. I-I kissed her goodbye. It was a mistake. I stopped it before it went too far. Those feelings for her died when I devoted myself to you.” Confusion colored his face and tone, making my heart ache for him and me.
“We both know it went too far. It never should’ve happened in the first place.” Anger coursed through me because he’d lied to me. If he loved her, then fine. But he didn’t have to lie about it. We all loved and lost people. We all had to face it. Lying about it wouldn’t change the situation.
He reached for me, and I Saw a flash of something—the necklace Calix had given me for my birthday. I’d forgotten about it until that moment, so wound up in my grief over losing him—and then myself—that it had slipped from my mind. The memory came back when Kellin’s fingers brushed against me—when I saw him take it off my lifeless body.
“I want my necklace back,” I murmured, my eyes fixed on Kellin. “You know the one. I want it back.”
“Ana,” Kellin pleaded, but I shook my head at him angrily.
I marched away from the group. Soran called for me to come back, but I didn’t want to go back. I needed to be alone with my thoughts.
“Ana.” Kellin caught up to me and grabbed me by my elbow, turning me to face him. “Don’t. Please. Talk to me.”
“Tarek told me about you and Cyrena,” I whispered. “Why did you have to lie about it? And why did you take the necklace Calix gave to me?”
“Ana, I didn’t lie. I took the necklace because… I don’t know. It was a mistake. I was so caught up in everything that I didn’t think about it. I never gave it back because we were moving forward, and I thought it would only set us back if you saw it again. As for Cyrena, we’re friends. She’s important—”
“Kellin, I know you were engaged to her and had to break it off when my father came to your father with the proposal to marry me,” I said, ignoring the talk of the necklace for a moment. “I know you tried to run away with her because you didn’t want me. You lied to me and said you didn’t fight it. But you were so head over heels in love with this girl that you risked everything to be with her. You even stopped to be with her the day of our wedding announcement. You returned to Dar’ish to be with me, a broken, confused girl. Now, you’re stuck with me, someone you didn’t even want in the first place.”
“Ana,” Kellin said softly, thumbing my bottom lip. “I was in love with her. All of what you said is true. However, I chose to leave her. I chose to come back and go to you. I chose to do this. I made a mistake with her in Marriot. I’m so sorry, Ana. I was scared. I-I didn’t know if I could handle being rejected by you again, especially after all I’d given up to be with you.”
“Why?” I demanded. “Why leave behind someone you love for someone… someone like me? You said it yourself, Kellin. You gave up your life for me. You should’ve known me better than that to think I’d want that for you. And then you were with her only weeks ago ... If you already loved me and