“I’m not asking about my father. As far as she knows, we have no clue Malachi disclosed this to us.”
“Fine,” I sigh.
He moves off the side of the bed, and the sheets wrap around his hips, exposing his strong back. Silas walks to the window, pushing open the curtains and then the shutters. He turns to me, clearly considering holding something back from me.
“Today is going to be interesting,” Silas admits, throwing a shirt over his head.
“That’s an understatement.”
He chuckles. “Every day has been interesting since I met you.”
“That doesn’t sound like a good thing.”
He smiles and narrows his eyes. “It’s a good thing. I know I’ll never be bored.”
“Were you concerned about growing bored with me?”
“Not even for a second.”
The memories of last night flood my mind. Malachi, the Travelers, the book, and Yara. A flash of her lifeless body covered in blood hits my mind, and I flinch. Silas moves closer to me, noticing that I'm lost in thought. I look into his eyes, unable to stop the tears from forming. He cups my face and brings his forehead to mine.
“When all this has settled, I will take you to meet Yara’s family if you would like. They would appreciate hearing about her bravery,” he says. “And, I think it may help you.”
“I don’t know. I don’t think I could face them, and I doubt they would want to meet me,” I respond.
Silas smiles gently. “I think you would be surprised, Briar. Just think about it. Promise me?”
“I promise.”
He walks toward the door, running his hands through his messy hair. “Get dressed; we have a big day ahead.”
“Can’t we just stay in bed and hide?” I ask, refusing to put my feet on the floor.
He glances over his shoulder. “There is nothing I’d rather do than stay in bed with you all day.”
I pat the bed next to me, and before I look back up at him, Silas races toward me with a smile spread across his whole face. His large body crashes against mine, and he falls on top of me,pressing my back against the silk sheets. I let out a startled giggle as his hands move to both sides of my head, and he leans forward, pressing his lips against mine.
“Don’t tempt me, Briar.”
I kiss him again. “What’s on the agenda, Your Majesty? Since we can’t stay like this all day.”
He rolls his eyes at my snark before saying, “I’m heading to the castle shortly with Fenmore to ensure everything is in order. I’ll see you shortly before we meet my mother.”
“Wait.” I angle my head. “What am I going to do until then?”
“Someone wants to see you near the cliff’s edge in thirty minutes.”
Chapter 30
After dressing and grabbing a quick bite to eat, I rush onto the grounds, eager to see who awaits me outside. I round the edge of the house and pause in my tracks when I see Larkin, Maines, and Oak standing near the cliff.
This can’t be good.
The sun sits high in the sky, gracing us with a bit of warmth. The fresh air feels light, and the day is becoming beautiful compared to the gloomy days we’ve experienced so far in Andorwood. I look behind me and glimpse the city limits. The kingdom seems to have a veil hanging over it, with dark clouds swirling only around the center. I can now understand why Silas moved away from the city; the air feels cleaner and more appealing out here, away from the castle.
Maines waves as I approach, and Oak has a broad grin on his face that instantly indicates I’m in for something I won’t enjoy. Larkin stands with his back to the others and looks out over the sea. Being head of the ocean operations for Andorwood, it’s no surprise that he always has an eye on the sea. Silas mentioned once that he spends a lot of time on this cliff, as it’s a great vantage point for incoming ships.
“Good morning, Dusk Wielder,” Oak snarks. “So happy you could join us today.”
