Lukas’s jaw tightened. “I will deal with the two of them in the morning. They likely won’t be pleased, but in Drothmore, it is a crime to lay hands on anyone who is unwilling. Royalty or not, he will be given a trial as anyone else would.”
“And if his parents threaten a war?”
He took a slow breath. “I will not let him get away with whatever he did to you. Perhaps I can negotiate with the King or Queen. He might not be executed, but if he hurt you?”
“He didn’t,” I told him truthfully. “He just scared me a bit. The mental wounds will heal with time.”
“Still…” The hand supporting my arm trailed up to cup the side of my face. With his thumb, he brushed away a tear from my cheek, the closeness making my skin feel warm. “In a few months, maybe even less, we shall marry. And even if you won’t accept me as your future husband right now, I cannot – will not – under any circumstances, let any harm come to you. You’re my future wife, Naria. No one harms you, even if they are only ‘mental wounds’.”
It would be so easy to melt into him, and part of me desperately wanted to. But I cast those alcohol-fueled feelings aside as tears glazed my eyes once again, this time more from frustration than fear.
“Lukas, I—” A finger pressing over my lips interrupted anything else I was about to say.
“You don’t need to explain yourself,” he told me. “I know what you’re going to say, and you’re right – we barely know eachother. This is all happening so fast… My head is such a mess, and with my father passing away so slowly, I’ve not been myself.” He paused, his jaw tensing. “In time, I hope you can learn to love the real me.”
Why was he making this so difficult? Where was this tenderness when I told him about my people living in the forests? How can he promise protection for me but not for all those who need me as their queen? Confusion pounded in my head as another sob lodged itself in my throat. It was hard to breathe through the tears that followed.
“Hush, please,” he brushed away the tears that streamed down my cheeks, “it’s getting cold, and you’re shivering.” He was right. In the mess of my tears, I hadn’t noticed how much the summer night air had cooled. “Let me get you inside. I’ll take you to my chambers and you can sleep there tonight. It’s much closer than your tower.”
I began to protest, but he silenced me with another finger. “Do not fear me, Naria. Nothing will happen. You can take my bed, and I will sleep elsewhere. I’ll send for your servants to help you undress before bed and then again in the morning. Please,” he said, his gaze meeting mine, “please let me keep you safe for tonight. At least until the guards have caught Colyn.”
I shuddered at the sound of his name. But now that he’d suggested it, I would feel much safer sleeping somewhere other than my isolated tower bedroom, and there were plenty more guards around Lukas’s chambers. The extra protection would be very reassuring. Also, the thought of being surrounded by sheets that smelled like him was certainly tempting… Forcing that last thought aside, I took a deep breath.
Focus, Naria, this is only for your safety. Don’t let it mean anything else.
Clearing my head of any more dangerous ideas, I accepted his offer. Instantly, his shoulders relaxed, and he smiled in a waythat would put angels to shame.
“Let me help you up,” he offered, scooping me up from the floor and propping me onto my wobbling feet as if I weighed no more than a feather. My knees were still trembling from all the running, and as he began to lead me back towards the golden light of the palace, I almost collapsed back onto the ground.
“I’m sorry,” I sighed, my exhausted body leaning into his open arms.
“It’s quite alright,” he chuckled quietly. “It’s been a long evening for us all. Let me help.”
Before my mind could process what was happening, I was swept off my feet and lying back in his outstretched arms. His chest felt so warm pressed against my side, it was almost impossible to keep my eyes open. Everything about the way he carried me was so gentle yet also so secure. There was such grace in the way he walked too, it was like I was floating on an endless lake.
Sleep overcame me long before we reached his chambers. The last thing I remember after my eyes finally closed was the sweet scent of exotic fruits and the strange sense of how I imagined stepping into the warm ocean would feel after a relentless tropical storm.
Peaceful.
CHAPTER 25
When I finally awoke the following morning, Lukas was nowhere to be found. Just like he’d promised, I’d slept alone in his bed, and as dawn broke over the horizon, servants arrived to help me dress. They’d selected a low-cut, flowing red gown adorned with gold trim, and while it certainly wasn’t my usual style, I couldn’t bear the thought of sending a servant all the way to my chambers to fetch another, so I allowed them to help lace me in.
Catching sight of myself in the mirror, a silent gasp escaped my throat. Just a few weeks ago, I felt like nothing more than a child who’d wandered into a grand palace after losing her way. But now, with the lavish red gown hugging me in all the right places and my blonde hair still curled from the ball last night, I finally felt like royalty.
“You look lovely today, Your Highness,” an older servant remarked after she finished lacing my gown.
“Thank you.” I smiled back at her. Warmth pooled in mychest as my gaze wandered from the mirror to explore the prince’s chambers. Near the back wall, sunlight filtered through a large, ornate stained-glass window, casting hundreds of different coloured rays onto the polished wooden floors. It was so beautiful. Just standing there, I felt so beautiful. With a quiet laugh, I wondered if everything had always been this beautiful and I’d just never noticed it before?
“Let us know if you need anything else, Your Highness,” the same servant told me, dipping her head. Before she left, she shot a knowing smile to the other handmaidens, and one of them whispered something that sent hushed giggles rippling through the group. If this had been any other day, perhaps I would’ve demanded they share the joke that was clearly made at my expense, but for some reason, I didn’t care. Even I laughed after they left. Everything around me seemed so pleasant and bright, it was hard not to.
In the centre of Lukas’s chambers stood a grand four-poster bed draped with plush velvet sheets, while the walls were lined with several bookshelves. I’d never pictured Lukas as the sort who liked to read, but the sheer amount of books clearly suggested otherwise. As I moved towards them and ran my fingers over the spines, I wondered what else I would soon learn about him.
It was only when a faint knocking sounded at the door that I finally emerged from my daydream.
“Naria, are you in there?” a sweet voice chimed from the hallway outside.
“Do come in, Raena,” I answered, beaming as the door swung open to reveal my friend dressed in a typically lovely peony-coloured gown.
