“You can berate me all you want and call me silly for doing such a reckless thing. I’ve heard it all before.”
“I’m not?—”
“But Felaf has nothing to apologize to you for.” I tilted my chin defiantly. “And neither do I.”
“If you’d let me?—”
“Being a guardian doesn’t entitle you to act like a prick and do as you please with no regard for how your actions hurt others. You’ve ignored me—I mean,us—for weeks. So while you were too busy feeding your messed-up appetite for pain, I brought Felaf here to help me understand the Scorpion people.Ourpeople.”
“I didn’t say?—”
“You didn’t have to,” I said. “It’s written all over your face.”
“For fuck’s sake, I’m not mad!” Raithe exclaimed, startling Felaf and me. He dragged his hands through his hair in a swift, frustrated motion. “I’m?—”
“You’re what? Disappointed?”
“Terrified,” he rasped. “I’ve been fucking terrified, Rahzlyn.”
My head spun. “You… what?”
Felaf remained silent but cocked her head. As if she, too, couldn’t quite believe what Raithe was admitting. Raithe didn’t get scared. He said so himself.
“You mistake myfearfor anger.” His attention fixated on me as if Felaf were no longer present. “I thought…” He winced. “I thought something happened to you.”
It was my turn to stare in confusion. “But… you’re mad at me for coming here and putting myself in danger. At Felaf for not telling you the plan. Aren’t you?”
“This isn’t me being mad. It’s—” He broke off with a frustrated huff. “Yes, I was upset that you both left the palace without me. But you’re a grown woman. A princess, capable ofmaking your own choices—no matter how heedless I find them. But when I learned of an attack…” He shook his head. “I should have been here. I’m sorry I wasn’t.”
Felaf’s jaw dropped. “You’resorry?”
My heart swelled. “Oh.”
“Yes,oh. Is that so surprising to you?”
“Considering your recent behavior, yes. It is, actually.”
“Then you’ve underestimated how much I care.” He glanced at Felaf. “About my princess, that is.”
“Oh,” I said again, heart deflating. It was all too much to process from him. “Right.”
Raithe removed his gloves and lightly examined my wound with his fingertips. “Now why don’t you tell me about thisplanof yours. I assume it constitutes more than a single syllable?”
Somewhat breathless, I said, “I wanted to experience this city and learn about its people for myself. I can’t do that by reading a book holed up in the palace, hiding the way Maryn does. I know you think it was foolish?—”
“It’s admirable. And brave. I wish you would have confided in me so I could have been here to protect you, too.” Raithe wordlessly tilted my head left and right, up and down, gently probing for other signs of injury. “I understand why you didn’t.”
I became all too aware of his closeness, my gaze snagging on his.
His fingers stilled on my face, that same awareness mixed with regret taking hold of him.
“Rahzlyn, I?—”
“Ahem.”
Felaf.
Right.
