Not too long after, everyone made their excuses and left, but not without a tight hug from each of them. When Rowan and I were the only ones left, he shifted his body to watch me closer. “Are you alright?”
My cheeks heated. “I’m okay. I think I needed a good cry. I’m sorry I?—”
Rowan’s eyes flashed with anger. “Never apologize for being vulnerable. Grief and anger are poison if left untended.” His face softened. “Yours were long left untended. I do not know everything you’ve been through, but I know that was more than Caelan. I hope this is the first step toward a new beginning.”
My lower lip wobbled. “I don’t know how to not be careful anymore. I’ve kept everything bottled up for so long it feels natural to keep secrets now. I had to in order to keep myself and everyone I loved safe.”
“Everyone has secrets, but the weight gets easier to carry when you share the burden.”
He sat his mug down and opened his arms. “Come. I quite like the feeling of you against me.”
I laughed at the earnest words.
Rowan gave me a roguish grin and wiggled his eyebrows. I scoot over and settle in between his legs, my back pressed against his chest. His contented sigh made me blush. My chest warmed in the spot of our bond, a soft and gentle heat. I could almost feel him there right at the edge of my senses.
“There’s no other furniture in the house. If you decide to stay here, you can pick out whatever you want.”
“I have plenty of money. Moira and the others should be financially secure for a while.”
“Your shop is closed and business has been down for months now.”
I tensed in his arms.
“Simone told me,” Rowan said. “Caelan has not been good to you, despite how you might feel.”
He’s not wrong, but it chafes to realize how I’ve allowed myself to be treated. “The business took a hit,” I admit, “but we’re all good savers, and my father gave me access to a bank account. He calls it my inheritance.”
“Odd word for a man who will never die.”
“True. I’ll need to order the furniture unless there’s a place around here with sustainable practices.”
“I forget how sensitive you are to certain things. Is this couch okay?”
“I don’t have any bare skin touching the surface. Bedroom furniture is the most important. All my furniture back in Joy Springs would—” I stopped and groaned. “I can just call Dad to move it.”
“Handy power, that,” Rowan mused. “There’s a spot in the middle of downtown that’s for sale. I don’t know how large your shop was in the back, but it might work. We can go tomorrow if you want.”
“Starting over might be nice,” I mused. “That sounds good.” I sighed and closed my eyes. “Caelan was sick when I found him.”
Rowan tensed behind me. “The spell?”
I nodded. “He refused my help, but I forced a healing on him to buy the idiot more time. I don’t know how far the spell has reached within his borders. I need to speak to the other Lords soon.”
“They’re meeting tomorrow,” Rowan said, his voice close to a growl. “Ethan called an emergency meeting.”
“They know what we did.” Unsurprising. I’d been waiting for that for a while now.
“They do, and they’re less than enthused about things.”
I chuckled. “Can they do anything about it?”
“Dario can challenge me for it.”
I jerked upright and turned to face him. “That’s our land. Not Dario’s.”
His eyes are soft when he reaches up to brush my cheek with his fingers. “Ours,” he said quietly. “I like that word coming from your lips.”
I stared at him and wondered what would have happened had I chosen him first. Too heartsore to move forward as fast as I wanted, I could only hope I won’t hurt him in the future. Possibility reached between us, unfurling with potential. “He’d be an idiot to challenge you,” I grumbled.
