I’ve spent hours searching for Eloise, first the grounds and then the castle. It’s almost moonrise, and I haven’t slept at all. I half assumed that she’d left me. I thought maybe she figured out I’m not worthy of her sacrifice or her loyalty and returned to her world.
But of course, she can’t do that because her magic is gone. At least for now, she has no choice but to stay with me. I’m almost sad for her that we exist in that reality.
Eloise doesn’t wake as I carefully pull her and the book in her lap into my arms and carry her back to our room. I tuck her into the bed of my childhood, in the room that was once mine and now is only a shrine to what I was and might have been. Gently, I remove the book from her grasp. Interesting she should pick this one. Our gods and the festivals that celebrate them are possibly the only thing that remains of the kingdom of my youth. The Harvest Festival is only a week away. If any event has the power to unite Stygarde, it’s this festival and our love of Thanesia.
I place the book on the table beside her.
There’s a knock on the door. I break into shadow and filter out into the hall so as not to wake Eloise. When I form, I find my brother standing in his sporting clothes, his hand poised to knock again. “Brother,” I say by way of greeting.
“Damien,” he straightens, smiling. “Glad to catch you before you left the castle.”
“It’s barely moonrise.”
“Yes, well, you’ve always been a morning person. I suspected I’d have to race the moon to your door in order to catch you.”
“What can I do for you?”
“I thought we could go hunting.” He thumps my shoulder, his face beaming with sibling camaraderie. “I bet you miss the morning fog of the black forest.”
I nod. “Give me a moment to change and tell Eloise.”
Brahm taps his chin. “While you’re at it, Nevina would like her in attendance today as she and the other ladies finalize the last details of the Harvest Festival. One of her maids will come to retrieve her midday.”
Fabulous. I inwardly groan. After the way the two clashed last night, Eloise is going to hate this. “I’ll let her know.”
I break apart and reenter the room to find Eloise sitting up in bed with her knees hugged to her chest.
“I’m sorry,” I say for her ears only. “I hoped not to wake you.”
“Don’t worry about me,” she says even more softly.
“Brahm has asked me to accompany him on his morning hunt.”
Her brows lift. “What do you think that’s about? For some reason, after yesterday, a doubt it’s an attempt at bonding.”
“I’m not sure,” I say, our gazes holding. “But I’ll find out everything I can, anything we can use.” I quickly change into my old hunting gear. Before I leave, I approach Eloise cautiously, wanting to kiss her goodbye. “Are you still angry about last night?”
She frowns. “I’m not angry at you. I never was. I’m just frustrated to be at the mercy of power-hungry assholes once again,” she whispers. “We have to decide who we’re going to be in this world. Are we going to be the couple that goes along to keep the peace? Or are we going to try to fight the injustices? But you’re right, there’s taking action and then there’s acting impulsively. We have to be smart about this.”
“About that…”
“Why do you look like you have bad news?”
“The queen has requested you join her for final Harvest Festival preparations today. She’ll send a maid. I know you don’t want to, but?—”
“No, I get it. The Harvest Festival will be a source of badly needed nourishment for Eudora’s people.” She grunts. “Fantastic. I’ll do my best not to project my belief that Nevina’s an evil tyrant while balancing our need to do something for the people of this kingdom to show we haven’t completely forgotten about them.”
The frustration wafting off her stings my skin. I don’t care nearly as much about the injustices in Stygarde as I do about her, and I never will. “I’ve asked too much of you.”
Her deep breath shudders. “No. I can do this. You were right last night. We need time to form a plan. Until then, this is an opportunity to make life better here.”
I press a kiss to her full lips. “You are a wise woman. We’ll talk tonight.”
“Tonight,” she whispers. She kisses me, long and deep enough to soothe the schism that opened between us last night. She’s mine. Despite everything. Despite what was taken from me. From us. A part of me wants to leave this room and slaughter my brother and his queen, take back my birthright, and give Eloise everything she deserves. Another part of me remembers all too clearly fighting Valeska and losing. That risk was worth taking. It was only my life on the line. I won’t risk Eloise. Not now. Not when we are finally together.
I draw back. The way she looks at me almost breaks me. She believes in me. Will I ever be worthy of that unconditional faith?
“See you tonight,” she says.
