Page 99 of Kingdom of Betrayal and Unknown

And I hope he’s telling the truth because I don’t know how much more I can take. Everything around me is crumbling to the ground.

“She can’t look at me.” Tears pool in my eyes, but I don’t let them fall. “My own mother can’t look at me.”

Kieran cups my face with his hands. “Only for a little time. She just lost her husband, but she isn’t going to push you away. Don’t let her.”

I close my eyes and lean into his touch, taking a deep breath to try and calm myself down.

“Take a little sip,” Kieran encourages me when I feel the rim of a cup being placed against my lips. “Slow and steady. I’ve got more if you need more, but I don’t want you to get sick.”

Slowly, I start to drink the water, letting the cold run down my throat, quenching the thirst I didn’t know I had.

“Good girl,” he whispers.

My cheeks flush bright pink as I stare at Kieran.

“I believe you,” I blurt out before I can stop myself.

CHAPTER 28

Kieran and I stare at each other for several seconds.

“You believe what I have been telling you this whole time?” he asks. “That the prince is not who you think he is?”

I nod. “I also believe you about us being mates. I’ve been trying to deny it this whole time because I’m not supposed to trust you, but I do. You have done nothing to get me to not trust you or not believe what you are saying.”

Kieran looks at me for several seconds, almost like he’s processing my words. “Really?”

“Yes, really. You didn’t have to do what you did yesterday,” I tell him. “Part of me wishes you didn’t, but knowing the prince was the one to kill my father, I can’t believe it. Well, I can since he told me, but I never would have thought about the prince.”

A smile blossoms across his face. “I’m glad you finally believe me,” he gently says, running his thumb across my face.

“I am, too,” I whisper.

But how we got here was not how I wanted. I wanted to get here naturally and not by someone dying.

“How did you know?” I ask. “How did you know it wasn’t an accident? How did you know I should talk to my father’s best friend? Have you found anything out about the curse? What can I do to help?”

I shouldn’t jump right into this, but I just can’t help it. While I’m riddled with grief, I need something to keep me going. I need to focus on something else to help distract my mind.

“One question at a time.” Kieran chuckles. “I’m glad you are eager, but one question at a time so I can answer it to the best of my ability.”

Nodding, I relax into the chair and nuzzle my face into him even more.

“So precious,” he whispers, looking into my eyes. “You are so precious to me.”

My insides melt into a puddle of goo right then and there.

Kieran hums as a smile spreads across his face. He leans forward, our lips hovering over each other. “Does my girl like the sound of me calling her precious? Telling her how much she means to me and what I would do for her?”

I suck in a small breath, closing my eyes as he gets closer. I can almost feel his lips against mine. One small push forward and they would be touching.

“Does she?” he whispers.

“Please,” I beg, opening my eyes to look at his dilated pupils.

Kieran pulls away, and I whimper. I want him to kiss me. I want to see if I feel those same sparks when we kiss.

“Not yet,” he replies. “As much as I want to kiss you and take you to bed, we can’t do it right now.”