No words I could say would free him of the shame he clung to like it was the very definition of his being. Onlyhecould decide to let it go and let himself feel worthy of the love he wanted.
Instead he’d chosen to send me away.Compelledme to love Stellon.
When that hadn’t worked out, he’d been all too willing to leave me here with my family and get back to his own life at Stormcrest.
There had been no poignant parting words. He hadn’t even asked me to come home with him.
He didn’t want me there. If he did, he didn’t want it enough to let go of his guilt and shame and give us a chance at a real life together.
While Papa walked back to the beach to clean the fish, I went into the cottage and prepared our largest skillet to fry them. Then I took a bit of dough from the starter bowl and added flour and water so we’d have fresh bread tonight for our company.
The cottage door opened behind me, and I called over my shoulder, “Remember to use the doormat.”
I turned, expecting to see two little sun-browned noses and two pairs of perpetually sandy feet, but it wasn’t the girls coming in from play.
Kem stood in the open doorway. My breath left me in a whoosh.
Was Pharis with her?
She looked down at her boots then wiped them on the mat before looking up again to meet my shocked eyes.
“Hello, my lady,” she said. “I met your father as he was leaving the garden. He told me it would be all right to come inside.”
I nodded numbly, trying to make sense of her presence.
“Yes. Come in.”
Then I snapped out of the momentary daze. “Grand Star, yes, please do come in. I can’t believe you’re here.”
Wiping my hands on a kitchen towel, I practically ran across the room and embraced her just inside the doorway.
“I’m so happy to see you, but why have you come? How did you know where I was?”
Pharis had vowed not to tell a soul our location, and I knew he wouldn’t have brokenthatpromise.
Which meant he must have sent her. A flutter went through my chest, quickening my pulse.
But before Kem could answer, another thought occurred to me. A frightening one.
“Is everything okay? Has something happened to him?”
My heartbeat doubled in pace as I took in her grave expression.
“He is not well, my lady,” Kem said. “That’s why I’m here.”
My mouth went dry, my ears ringing with my increased heartbeat.
“Pharis is sick?”
I had learned that Elves weren’t susceptible to human ailments, but they weren’t impervious to all harm. I had seen Pharis terribly ill once, on the verge of death.
Had someone poisoned him? Had his wounds from the flogging become infected?
“No, not sick in the body,” Kem said, shaking her head. “But in his heart, yes. I fear it will be the death of him. We’re all very worried about the Prince.”
I invited Kem into the sitting room.
“Would you like some tea or water?”
