Her stomach soured, and she nearly missed Atlas’s question.
“I just meant, well, there are seven of them. And you’re…”
She raised her brows. “Be very careful with what you say next, young man.”
“That’s just it!” He pointed a long finger at her. “You can’t be any older than I am. How do you have seven sons?”
Lindy crossed her arms. “Perhaps I have an extremely effective beauty routine. Or maybe I had several sets of twins.”
He shook his head. “No. If you were actually their mother, you wouldn’t have talked about wringing their necks. That sounds more like a friend or sibling relationship.”
“And I’m assuming you’re some kind of expert in familial relationships?” Movement in the corner of her eye drew her attention to where the princes were slowly congregating on the shore, obviously invested in the little drama that was playing out. She scowled at Corbin, willing him to read her mind andgo away.
“No, but wouldn’t a caring and devoted mother want her sons to stay close to her?”
“Perhaps I’m trying to communicate that they should steer clear ofyou.”
“That’s the other thing—if you’re their mother, wouldn’t they be more concerned about your safety?”
His innocent question, likely chosen to simply prove his point, was a knife in her gut, reopening the wound carved out by a lifetime of pain.
Of course they’re not concerned about my safety. No one is. But it’s fine. I can take care of myself.
She sighed dramatically to hide her emotions. “I’m afraid you’ve caught me. They’re my stepsons.”
“That makes more sense.” He nodded to himself. “You said they’re cursed?”
“Well, I didn’t marry a swan,” she drawled sarcastically.
“So you’re married?”
Curse him and his never-ending questions! Well, no. No more curses. One is enough to try to break. But I wish he would justleavealready.
“Was,” she answered, turning around and marching toward the tree line where she had left her bag, hoping that he would take the hint that it was time for him to go.
“I’m sorry.”
His words were soft, his apology sincere this time. She could hear the undertones of empathy and heartbreak in them, and she closed her eyes against the sudden, unwanted tears that gathered in response.
“Yes. Well,” she said briskly, still keeping her back tohim. “There’s nothing to be done about it. I can break a curse, but I can’t raise the dead.”
“Is there somewhere I can take you?”
“Ha.” Her laugh was hollow. “No. I’ll be fine. Don’t you have a goose to find?”
“It’s too dark. I’ll have to pick up the search in the morning.”
Lindy whirled around. “You’re not staying with me.”
Atlas held up his hands and moved back. Night had completely fallen, and the moonlight behind him made him seem far bigger and more foreboding than he had been in the sunshine—and that had been frightening enough. “I never said I was. What gave you that idea?”
“Maybe the fact that you’re not leaving?” She tried to inconspicuously drag her foot over the ground around her, searching for a tree branch or a rock she could use as a weapon.
Though he’s so big that it’s unlikely anything I do will even bother him. I should have put more effort into studying defensive cursing.
“I’m trying to take you somewhere safe!” She could hear his jaw dropping in disbelief, even though she couldn’t see it.
“In that case, you can be on your way. I’m perfectly fine where I am.”
