More tears spilled down Kara’s cheeks. Sienna squeezed her hand lightly. “If he says he doesn’t care, he’s lying.”
Kara was silent for a long time. When she finally spoke, her voice was raw. “They can’t matter – these feelings. They – they can’t. I’m engaged.”
“You don’t have to go through with it,” Sienna whispered.
It was naïve of Sienna to think that. But she had choices Kara never would.
“Yes, I do.”
Sienna squeezed her hand tightly, her silence saying more than words.
CHAPTER 11
THE THIEF
To try to remake the Arcanth will be considered an act of great treason.
–The Arcanth Accords, Article II
Two weeks later.
Kara hadn’t thought there would be this much parchment involved in planning a wedding. She stared at her ink-stained hands, wondering if anyone had ever died of boredom reviewing guest lists.
“You’ve written Roderic Atwater’s name three times,” Henry pointed out.
She glanced down. She had.
“He only needs one invitation,” Henry said mildly. “Unless you particularly want him there.”
A surprised laugh escaped her. “I don’t even know who he is.”
Henry frowned. “A friend of my father’s. Very dull.”
“Thanks for the warning.”
“Let me help you,” Henry offered. With a casual flick of his hand, his ice-white magic wrapped around the parchment and quill. It began to scratch away on its own.
Kara cradled her wrist in mock horror. “Couldn’t have done that earlier?”
“You looked like you were having fun,” he said, smiling.
She hadn’t been.
It wasendless.
They’d stayed in Vallenna City to arrange it all. Sienna had lingered too; she’d been keeping a close eye on Kara. Lyrans didn’t often have arranged marriages – it went against their instinct to let emotions guidethem. Kara’s own mother had been an exception. And now Kara was following in her footsteps.
They were high above the City streets now, in the study at the Hale residence, the evening breeze flowing through the window. Henry, ever dutiful, was politely nodding at all her mother’s suggestions. He was calm, reliable – she envied that about him. It was the exact opposite of the storm of emotions raging inside her since the ball.
She hadn’t seen Sebastian since then.
Kara had heard he’d taken up a guard posting in Durent – had left the very next morning, as he’d promised.
But she had thought of little else.
It was ridiculous.
She’d known Sebastian for a few days at the Arcalon, and their last words were bitter and unkind. And then he’dleft.Walked away without a backwards glance. But what Sienna had told her – that he’d lied, that he cared – had left Kara with an ache in her chest. Constant. Unbearable.
