As soon as he leaves, I collapse on the bed, pressing my face into the pillow as silent sobs rack through me. My ribs scream in protest as I curl inward, but I don’t care.
All I can think of is Auren.
I was so happy and so full of hope for a beautiful future that I’d never imagined before him, but now wanted with all my heart. One with a cottage full of laughter, and children with gray-blue skin, dark hair, and blue eyes like their father.
Another sob rises in my throat, muffled by the pillow. I was a fool who gave away her heart and never even knew the truth of who she handed it to.
I cry until my chest burns and my throat feels raw and my whole body aches with the force of holding in what I could not allow Auren to see. And still the tears keep coming.
Because the worst of it—the cruelest, most unbearable part is that even now, beneath all the hurt and humiliation and grief… I cannot deny that I love him.
CHAPTER 38
AUREN
Morning arrives gray and cold. Mist curls through the fortress courtyard, carrying the scent of pine and damp earth. Somewhere above the ramparts a raven cries once before taking flight into the pale sky. It carries my message to the Goblin King, threatening war if he dares try to come for my wife.
My hand rests against Vaelen’s thick fur while I watch the caravan prepare to leave. Warriors move about with efficient purpose, tightening saddles, securing packs, murmuring instructions to their families, while children cling sleepily to their parents’ cloaks.
It should feel routine, like any other departure. Instead, a heavy weight settles in my chest as my gaze lands upon Vivienne.
She stands near the open gates wrapped in a dark cloak, her red hair tied loosely at the nape of her neck. The bandages beneath her clothes are hidden well enough that a stranger might think she has already recovered from the battle.
But I know better. I see the careful way she moves, and the way her shoulders stiffen when she shifts her weight. And I knowthat the wounds she received during the battle are not the only ones she carries this morning… Those are mine.
She’s hurting, and she refuses to show it. The realization presses another blade of guilt into my chest.
Old Vivienne would have demanded a carriage, a personal physician directly at her side, and an entourage of servants to ensure the journey caused her no discomfort whatsoever.
This Vivienne simply pulls her cloak tighter and prepares to ride. Even though she’s angry with me, she will not use her sharp tongue to eviscerate me like I know I deserve. She’s holding herself together in silence.
A blur of movement breaks across the courtyard. My heart stops when I realize it’s Dain’s daughter—Ailyn—and she’s heading straight toward Vivienne.
“Ailyn!” Lyrea calls sharply, chasing after her.
Dain and I rush to catch her as well, but we’re too late as the child slams into her side with a soft thump.
Vivienne’s breath leaves her in a quietoof.
Instinctively, I take a step toward her, wanting to ask if she’s alright, but her sharp gaze snaps to mine, her eyes flashing with anger.
She doesn’t want my help anymore. And I’ve no one to blame but myself for having broken her trust.
Vivienne hisses through her teeth, pressing her hand to her side, directly over her bandaged wounds, but she quickly hides her discomfort as Ailyn throws her arms around her waist.
“Vivienne!” Ailyn smiles. “I’m so glad you’re all better.”
Vivienne embraces her in return. “Thank you, little one.”
Lyrea and Dain hurry over, their expressions apologetic.
“I’m so sorry,” Lyrea says. “She shouldn’t have run at you like that. You’re still injured.”
Vivienne shakes her head. “It’s alright.”
Her voice is calm, but when she looks at them, sadness passes briefly behind her eyes, and I know exactly why. It’s because they knew she had no idea I was the king. Both of them kept the truth from her just as surely as I did.
Vaelen huffs beside me, nudging my arm. I run my fingers through the thick fur along his neck, letting the familiar warmth of the bond settle my thoughts. For a moment, the world flickers with shared sensation, and he projects an image in my mind.
