At that, Soraya laughed and went with him to the dance floor. And suddenly, he didn’t hate Absolution so much...because she was here with him.
Tonight was a night for freedom, after all. Vivorr would not punish him for the forbidden longing he felt within.
“You’re helpless without me,” Soraya said. “Do you know that, Crown Prince?”
“Of course I do,” Arawn said.
Because she’d always been there, like a safe shadow at his back. But in reality, she was the sun, her laughter always burning bright.
Together, they danced.
And as the room blurred around them, and he held her in his arms, he realized he’d missed it.
He’d wasted all the years, without Kinlear here. He’d simply stood on the edges of the room, brooding as he glared at the dancers... when he could have been out here.
Spinning Soraya in his arms.
If he dared, he’d have gone further and claimed her with his lips.
Nobody would ever have thought anything of it...but it hadn’t been right back then. He hadn’tknown itwhen they were younger. Not as he did now, when it was already too late.
The song changed. They were about to dance again, before she paused, sucking in a breath.
And then she was cryingagain.
“What is it?” Arawn asked, stopping them on the edge of the crowd. He dug into his pocket, where Izill had told him to bring a handkerchief,should a lady have need of it.He wondered, not for the first time, how Izill was so wise.
He passed Soraya the handkerchief, waiting as she removed her mask and wiped her eyes.
“When didyoubecome such a gentleman?” Soraya asked, with a heartless huff. And she looked so sad, so utterly broken...
That he reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder.
He swore a spark passed between them as he touched her skin.
“Why are you crying?” he asked, as gently as a warrior could.
“It’s...it’shim,” she said. “It’s always him, isn’t it? He’s rarely present these days. He’s always disappearing, rushing off, then fading for days at a time as if he’s far too busy for me. When he’s drinking, it’s like he’saliveinside, like the boy I fell in love with. And when he’s not?”She gave a sad laugh. “I feel like he only gives me a part of himself. Like the rest is buried...far beneath.”
“No, that’s not it,” Arawn shook his head, because it was always in him to come to his brother’s defense. “Kinlear is just...”
Gods, what could he say?
Kinlear is dying, Soraya,but that wasn’t an option, because he was forbidden to speak the truth of it to anyone. Even to her. For some reason that was a line he wouldn’t pass. It was Kinlear’s story to tell...though Arawn knew she deserved to hear it, and sooner than later. If the tables were turned, he would have told her the second they were Matched.
So she could prepare. So she could be ready when the time came, and Kinlear was ripped away from her in an instant.
“He’s lying to me,” Soraya whispered. “I can feel it. He’s hiding something, Arawn.”
She stared at him like she trusted him.
Like she believed he would tell her if he knew...
And he couldn’t.
Arawn pursed his lips.Tell her! His mind screamed. But he couldn’t. He wouldn’t.
So instead, he asked, “Is there anything I can do to make it better...right now?”
