As my head spun, I focused on the memory of the starving men and women beneath the Ravenwood and Bloodstone banners at the victory celebration. Their eyes were shining with hope as they looked up at me on the scaffold. If anyone could keep the Northern provinces from revolting against the Duke, it wouldbe me.
All the more reason for Duke Hyton to put me in charge, and me alone. Everything was fallinginto place.
Heavy footsteps crunched in the grass. My chance to slip out opened up. I quickly checked to ensure the coast was clear and I darted through the gap in the wall and behinda tree.
My hands pressed against bark as I flitted from tree to tree with only moonlight illuminating my path. I slowly climbed up the craggy mountain following Riyan’s trail of footprints, snapped tree branches, andcrushed rocks.
I pulled myself up a waist-high ledge and pebbles clacked behind me. I whipped my head around and scanned the darkness. My heart raced as I pulled out the dagger. After a few pounding heartbeats, the air around mewas still.
I let out a breath. I was just paranoid, but I kept the dagger out and by my side as I continued upthe mountain.
I ran my hand along the rocky mountainside to find my way in the darkness, but I stopped when the sound of slow, heavy breathing filled the night air. My blood ran cold. I could barely see my hand in front of my face. Whatever lurked in front of me lay in wait incomplete darkness.
The thin clouds covering the moon parted and the mountainside lit up in a gentle glow. My heart stopped when the moonlight revealed Riyan, sleeping on the ground only twelve paces from me. His back was against the tall rocky mountainside and his right hand splayed out toward his sword in the rocks. The remnants of his clothes laid around him and a large crimson cape draped over his stomach and legs like a blanket. His face was calm and his neck was exposed tothe night.
He was so peaceful as he slept, but his new height was even more intimidating up close. His chest was the size of a mattress, his palm the size of a chair, and his biceps were wider than mywhole body.
He was no longer my husband—just another giantto kill.
I carefully placed my feet around the rocks so I did not make a sound and kept my eyes on his sword. If I woke him up, he could grab that sword and cut me in half ina blink.
My heart raced as his breath warmed my legs. My hand trembled as it heldthe dagger.
Why,whydid I have tokill him?
Riyan did not deserve it. The man who danced with me, fed me apples and jam, and filled my hair with lilies did not deserve to die. My eyes grew wet and hot, but I still refused to cry as I came closer and closer to endinghis life.
The golden light of our bond crept up my arm and tried to force me to throw down the dagger, but I held fast to the bronze hilt. The warm rope of light burned into the stone around my heart and screamed out the truth of what I was aboutto do.
Riyan would never kiss me again. The heat of his body would never warm me at night. His hands would never run through my hair. His dimple would never send butterflies to my stomach. Our bond would sever and all the magical light that had freed me from my endless cycle of biting desolation and bitter ragewould disappear.
I would live in thedarkness forever.
But I had noother choice.
Cold granite shut out the light and I gritted my teeth. I could live in the darkness if it meant surviving. Riyan should have never chosen me. If he had just married Brietta like he was supposed to, Bloodstone and Ravenwood would be saved, Astrid would not be in danger, and Hilda and Nikkolas wouldhave lived.
Riyan had to face the consequences of his actions. I had to fix what he broke the only wayI could.
I silenced that pathetic golden bond and a numbing fog seeped down my body as I gripped the dagger. I stared at the muscles and veins in Riyan’s neck as I decided whereto strike.
Right across the throat, just like Derrick said. I strengthened my grip on thebronze hilt.
One cut.
One cut and it would allbe over.
Do it.
DO IT!
I raised the dagger in the air. The steel blade reflected a shard of moonlight intoRiyan’s eye.
Riyan’s eyes popped open and his pupils focused on me. My arm was still raised and the dagger was ready to slice into his throat. I gasped as his eyes met mine and Ibacked away.
Riyan’s right palm slammed into the earth and the mountain trembled. I fell back into the rocks and dropped the dagger as he started to rise fromthe ground.
The sharp rocks cut my palms as I scrambled away from him. The dagger was useless since he was awake. He would catch me if I tried to run. Iwas trapped.
