Rawn’s throat tightened. “I miss him.”
“I know. I do, too.” Eldred rested his staff on his lap. It was now woven with the wood that had once belonged to Sylar’s staff. “I am afraid to ask why you are here, young master.”
Rawn looked up at the many glowing windows of the castle. “I wanted to see her…”
Eldred shook his head. “You can’t, Rawn. Not today. You have fallen into your drink and are in no position to speak to anyone. Where have you been?”
He had taken a leave of absence from his duties and spent most of his time at the bottom of a barrel, drowning in wild berry wine, searching for something to fill the hole in his chest. But he couldn’t put Aerina out of his mind, or the last thing he said to her. In some drunken stupor, he had stumbled his way here because it was where his heart called.
“I need to tell her the truth, Eldred. I need to tell her—” Rawn’s voice cracked, and he dropped in his hands. “That she has always had my heart.”
Eldred’s eyes widened, and he glanced fleetingly at the castle with alarm. “She is to marry Varden Karheim today,” he hissed under his breath.
“I know,” he choked.
“She is a princess, young master. This cannot be. The king would have your head.”
Rawn shut his wet eyes. “How cruel the fates be, for she is so far out of my reach and beyond the dreams I am worthy to covet. I kept my distanceand settled to only watch over her from afar. I tried to harden my resolve, yet I am weak, and I despise myself for it…” He pressed on his chest that seemed to cave beneath an invisible weight. It was crushing him. Maybe it was the wine, or maybe it was knowing he had a chance to confess and relinquished it for the sake of duty. “My love for her betrays my king and country. I know this; nonetheless, I cannot seem to let it go. My yearning is too great, beyond what I can bear. If I am to die for it, so be it. But I cannot … I cannot go another day without telling her, as I should have the night we danced. That she had been my wish...”
“And you are mine.”
Rawn’s heart lurched to find Aerina standing in front of them. She wore a white gown, a crown of silver in her golden hair, a stunning beauty in the backdrop of the setting sun.
His breath caught. “Aerina…”
Her pretty eyes shone with tears, her lips trembling. And he knew she heard his confession. Every word.
“Forgive me.” He looked away. “I…”
Leaning down, she cupped his cheek and made him look at her, fingers cool and gentle against his skin. “Do you think of me?”
Rawn swallowed, though it did nothing to dislodge the lump in his throat. “With every passing thought and breath,” he whispered.
“Do you long for me?”
“With every beat of my heart.”
“Then what more could you want, but to be in my arms, dreaming of more days where you are my own?” Aerina held out her hand to him, and his own shook as Rawn took it. He couldn’t stop the tears that continued falling. She pulled him up to his feet and started leading him away. “Master Eldred, please tell the king I will no longer marry Lord Karheim.”
Rawn stared at her. “What?”
“Wha-what do you mean?” Eldred stuttered, equally aghast. He quickly got to his feet. “What am I to tell him, Princess? The entire kingdom is here to see you wed!”
Aerina’s eyes danced with joy as she pulled Rawn to his feet. “Tell him, I have chosen another.”
She led him into a run, and they dashed toward Fair.
“Princess, are we really doing this?” Rawn gasped.
Aerina only laughed. He helped her climb onto the saddle and quickly mounted behind her. Eldred and guards rushed to them, shouting at them to stop.
“Ralov, Osomreh,”Aerina told Fair, encouraging him to flee.“Ralov!”
Wrapping an arm around her waist, Rawn snapped the reins, and they galloped away. The Royal Guard gave chase, but they made it past the drawbridge before anyone could stop them. This was the most foolish thing he had ever done. Rawn wasn’t sure where he was taking his princess, but he kept racing away.
The only thing he cared about now was her. When they reached the road outside of Avandia, Rawn brought Fair to a stop. They paused there, looking back at the castle.
“It is not too late to go back.”
