“They should focus their manpower on construction,” Luca confirmed.
Isa shouted this information back across the river.
“Are you safe?” came the final question from the other side.
Even though Aden knew the question was justified, he deflated. He dropped his face to the ground, closing his eyes as he repeated the question to Isa, Luca, and Blanca. He did not want to see their reactions.
“Yes!” Isa shouted instantly.
Aden felt a small touch on his arm, and he opened his eyes to see Isa’s hand resting just below his elbow. For the second time that morning, tears stung at his eyelids.
“Don’t go,” she said. Her whisper was so quiet, he wondered if he had imagined it. He tried to focus on her face, but she had turned back to the canyon. “Thank you!” she yelled.
Aden lagged behind the small group as they made their way back up the hill to the house.
Blanca practically danced up the road. “I thought they would never make it,” she said. “But that Mr. Surrell, he pulled through for us. I’m so glad our Cam went with him. He likely never would have made it without Cam. I was so worried, but they did just fine. And now everything will be alright.”
Even Luca seemed to walk with a new spring in his step. At least, he had not yet grumbled about the pain in his old knees.
Isa turned to face Aden, dropping back a step or two to walk alongside him. “Stay here,” she whispered. She placed her hand on his arm once again, and Aden instantly knew he would do whatever she asked him. “You don’t need to face this alone,” she continued. “Blanca and Luca will be on your side, I’m sure of it.”
“And you?” he asked, staring down at her upturned face, wishing against all odds that he could see the color of her eyes or the shape of her lips.
“I’m on your side, too,” she whispered.
He smiled down at her, but the relief in his heart was short-lived. She still didn’t understand what she was inviting into her home.
She had started pulling forward, pressing to join Luca and Blanca.
He reached out, gently brushing her upper arm.
She stopped and looked back up at him.
He stopped moving altogether, waiting until the two chatting servants were out of earshot. “I still have to go,” he said. The admission of that fact tore through his beastly heart. “When this ends... when the last petal falls... I will likely become dangerous to those around me. That’s why I left my family and why I cannot stay here.”
“How many petals have fallen?” she asked.
“Three.”
“In how many days? Fourteen?”
“Fifteen,” he confirmed.
“Prince Aden of Iseldis,” she replied, “I saw that rose with my own eyes. It easily has twenty petals or more remaining. Three petals fell in two weeks. You do the math.” She shook her head. “You do not have to leave today. I’m willing to bet that you can safely stay until the bridge is finished. Besides, we’ll need someone to help us communicate with the villagers in the meantime. Stay.”
Aden let himself be led back to the house. She was right. If the rose continued to decay at its current rate, he would still have plenty of time.
But he was too afraid to admit to himself that some things were still in danger of being hurt if he stayed.
He sighed.
If he could not protect his own heart, he could at least attempt to protect hers.
Chapter 23
When Isa woke the next morning, she knew the garden was calling her. The Floutast needed to be worked on, but her relief that the villagers were finally starting to build the bridge had given her a new hope. She had made too many small mistakes yesterday. If she did not stop for a breather, her work would only get clumsier.
Although her southern-facing window did not get direct sunlight in the morning, she could still see its golden glow sparkling down on the green deciduous trees outside her window.
