"Nay.I just—" Maia's throat tightened with an emotion she couldn't name. "This is, it's beautiful."
"It's a guest chamber. Nothin'special."
But it was special.To her, it was everything.
And that realizationbrought with it a sharp stab of bitterness she hadn't been expecting.
This was aguestchamber.A room for visitors, for people passing through, for anyone who needed a place to stay for a night or two. And it was nicer, so much nicer, than the room her own uncle had given her. The room she'd been locked in for six years.
"Maia?"
She turned awayfrom the window, trying to arrange her face into something that wouldn't reveal the turmoil of emotions churning inside her. "It's lovely. Thank ye."
Ewan studiedher with those dark, perceptive eyes. "But?"
"But nothin'."She forced a smile. "I'm grateful. For the room. For nae puttin' me in a dungeon or somethin'."
"I told ye.I'm nae a monster."
"I ken that now."The admission slipped out quietly. "I ken a lot of things now that I dinnae ken before."
Like how a kisscould make her forget everything else. Like how his hands could be both gentle and demanding. Like how she could want someone even when she knew she shouldn't.
The silencebetween them stretched taut, filled with words neither of them seemed willing to say.
Finally,Ewan cleared his throat. "Ye're free to move about the castle as ye wish. But—" He held up a hand when her eyes widened with hope. "—if ye want to leave the castle grounds, ye need to inform one of the maids first. They'll come find me, and I'll escort ye."
Maia blinked. "I'm what?"
"Ye heard me."
"I'm allowed to explore?"The words burst out before she could stop them, loud and disbelieving. She immediately clapped her hands over her mouth, her cheeks flaming with embarrassment.
Ewan's expression darkened slightly,his brows drawing together. "Aye. While ye're me prisoner, I'm nae a barbarian. I willnae lock ye away like—" He stopped abruptly, as if he'd been about to say something he thought better of.
Like me uncle did.
That'swhat he'd been about to say. She was sure of it.
Maia lowered her hands slowly,staring at him. "I can leave this room? Whenever I want?"
"Aye."
"And explore the castle?"
"Aye."
"And if Iwant to go outside, to the forest or the lake or the village, I just need to ask?"
"Ye needto tell a maid so she can fetch me, and then I'll take ye meself." Ewan's voice was firm. "Ye're nae to wander off alone. It's nae safe, and I'll nae have ye gettin' lost or injured or decidin' to make a run for it."
"I already toldye I wouldnae run."
"I kenwhat ye told me. But I'm nae takin' chances." His jaw set in that stubborn line she was beginning to recognize. "Those are the rules, lass. Ye can accept them, or ye can stay in this room. Yer choice."
It wasn't reallya choice at all. But compared to six years of being locked in a tower, compared to bars on windows and guards at doors, and a life that had shrunk down to four walls and a view of freedom she could never reach.
This was everything.
