Well, it wasn’t her fault. Working to control my temper, I prompted Raewyn to tell me whatever she could recall.
“You look well, so I assume he at least fed you regularly. And I see he gave you a nice dress to wear.”
“Oh, he gave me lots of dresses,” she said. “And lots of wonderful food.”
Her tone was a little too grateful.
“And yet… you wanted to escape and return tome?” I asked.
“Of course,” she said. “I love you.”
Reassured by her enthusiastic declaration, I took Raewyn’s face in my hands.
“I love you, too, Firebug. I cannot tell you how happy I am that you are alive and well and back here where you belong.”
Unable to wait any longer, I kissed her.
Raewyn didn’t respond the way I’d anticipated. Her lips failed to move with mine, and she did a little shimmy move, wriggling from my grasp and stepping back.
“What is it?” I asked.
She shook her head, her brows drawing together.
“I… I’m not sure.”
Touching her lips, she looked up at me apologetically.
“It’s been a long time, I guess. A lot has happened. I think I need… I think it might take a little time to feel… comfortable again with you like that.”
I gave her a gentle smile. She was still so innocent. Reaching out for her hands, I drew her close again but restrained myself from attempting another kiss.
“Of course. You and I have all the time in the world. And we’ve had far too much of it stolen from us, thanks to my brother. Pharis will pay for that, believe me.”
Instead of relaxing, Raewyn only grew more tense.
“Pharis has made mistakes, but he did save me from the gallows.”
Then she gave me a quizzical glance. “He said you did nothing to stop the execution.”
My temper flared. Pharis would lose not only his eyes and hands but those lying lips of his.
“You know he lies,” I told her. “I did everything in my power to save you. You couldn’t see because your head was covered, but I managed to get out of my bonds up on the viewing platform. I grabbed a crossbow and fired at the dragon, trying to save you from being carried away. I wanted to stop execution day from even happening, but as you know, my father was too strong.”
Using my palms to hold her face, I smiled into Raewyn’s eyes.
“But he is gone now, and I am King. Now I can make everything right again, just as I promised you I would. With you by my side as my Queen, nothing can stop me.”
“As your Queen?” Raewyn asked, looking surprisingly disturbed. “Just like that? What about your betrothed, Lady Helina of Hyland? Won’t her family be outraged? It could lead to civil war.”
“Lord Hyland wouldn’t dare challenge me,” I assured her. “I am King of the Sixlands and all of Avrandar. I’ll marry whomever I choose… and I choose you. Thinking I lost you showed me there is nothing in this world more important than love.”
My tone grew darker. “Not even family.”
Raewyn looked concerned. “Do you mean to seek retribution against Pharis? Let’s just forget about him, okay?”
“I can’t do that,” I said. “I’ll never forget what he did to you—tous. Keeping us apart is a crime beyond forgiveness.”
The furrows in her brow grew more pronounced. “I’m sure he’s a villain, and as you say, he probably should be punished, but I don’t want to waste any more time on him. I don’t want you to track him down and hurt him. Promise me, Stellon.”
