“Bal, please don’t tell Father. I can’t help how I feel.”
“You’re eighteen, you still practically a child. You have no idea what you’re feeling. it’s infatuation. You’ll get over it. Besides, Father already knows. I hope it was worth it, Kyleigh.”
She watched her brother walk off and frowned. If her father knew, where was he? Her silent question was answered when she opened the door to her chambers.
“Come in and close the door.”
She swallowed and did as she was told. “Father, I can—“
“Save it. I already know where you were and who you were with. I tried to be lenient with you, but you’ve left me with no choice. You may be eighteen, but you are not as grown as you think you are. Since you insist on acting like a petulant child, you will be treated as such. You are forbidden to leave the castle grounds. Your windows have been barred and any time you leave the castle, you will have an escort. Should you attempt to meet with that griffin again, you will be forbidden to leave your chambers without an escort. Do I make myself clear?”
“Father, you can’t—“
“I can, and I have. I will ask you one more time, do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, Father,” she said quietly.
“You brought this punishment on yourself, Daughter.”
She ignored him as he left her chambers. Once she was alone, she fell onto her bed and cried herself to sleep.
Chapter 8
Lauchlan
It had only been two days since he’d seen Kyleigh, but it felt like so much longer. When evening descended, he made his way to the hollow and waited for her to arrive.
After half an hour of waiting patiently, he began to pace. Had she changed her mind? No, she wanted him just as much as he wanted her. Had something happened to her?
The sound of wings brought him from his thoughts, but the phoenix that flew toward him looked...different. He frowned and it only deepened when the phoenix shifted and the woman who approached was unfamiliar to him.
“Who are you? Where’s Kyleigh?”
“My name is Fiona. I’m one of Kyleigh’s cousins. She’s...not able to be here, but she asked me to bring this to you.”
He took the sealed envelope the woman held out to him. “I don’t think she’ll be coming here for some time. Her father knows she met with you here and she’s on house arrest, so to speak. I have to go.”
“Wait! Tell her I will wait, however long it takes. I’ll come here every night that I can, and wait for her.
“I will tell her.”
Before he could thank her, she shifted and was gone. He wanted to read it immediately, but he waited until he returned home and was safely ensconced in his rooms.
‘My darling Lock,
I am so very sorry I am not able to meet with you. My brother, Balfour, followed me when I met with you the other night and he told my father. I am forbidden to leave the castle grounds, and if I go outside, even to the garden, I must have an escort.
I miss you, so very much. I am not sure how long my father will keep me under lock and key, but I hope he grows weary quickly. I will understand if you choose not to wait for me, but I hope you do.
I don’t understand this connection we share, but I know it’s real. I hope you feel it, too.
Only and Forever Yours,
Ky
He read over the letter several times before he folded it up and put it away for safe-keeping. There was no way he was giving up on her, on them. He needed to try and find answers to what caused the feud because there was no way in hell he was letting their families keep them apart forever.
Chapter 9
