Page 108 of Kingdom of Death and Hope

“As for him feeling my emotions, I’ve got that under control,” I reply.

“You blocked him, didn’t you? You do know he knows what that feels like and he’ll know something is up right away,” Henry points out.

“I know that, and no, I didn’t block him. I’m keeping my emotions in check, though, you’ve made me very annoyed, but recently that’s been one of my more prominent emotions thanks to having to be in bed all day,” I say.

Even though I’m fully healed, Kieran still wants me to be resting in the bed. He wants to make sure I’m fully healed before doing anything.

I personally think he wants me in bed resting so I can’t walk around and find Avira or she finds me. He wants me safely tucked away where she can’t get to me, and while I find it incredibly sweet, I also am irritated because I’m the one who is supposed to kill her.

I’m the one who can lure her out.

“Do you really think he won’t know that you’re here?” Henry asks.

I whirl around, anger coursing through me. “He won’t know unless you tell him! So I suggest you don’t.”

Something rustles to the right and we both look over. Nerves and fear bubble up inside me and I take a deep breath, squashing those emotions down before Kieran can do anything.

“Do you think it’s her?” I whisper.

Henry gets in front of me, sword drawn. “Just stay behind me.”

But after several minutes, nothing comes out.

“I was really hoping it was her. I was hyping myself up for killing her and it’s all gone down the drain,” I mumble.

Henry relaxes.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Kieran asks as he wraps his arms around my waist.

Screaming, I kick my legs back but Kieran is quicker than that.

“Kieran, you gave me a fright,” I say as I pull away from him.

He doesn’t look happy.

“What are you doing here?” I ask as I take a step back.

“What am I doing here?” he repeats my words and I nod. “Are you seriously asking what I’m doing here?”

“Y-yes?” I hesitantly reply.

“No.”

“No?” My eyebrows bunch together.

“No, you shouldn’t be asking me that. I should be asking you why you’re here. I should be asking why my mate was seen rushing and sneaking to the forest. I should be asking what made you decide to come out here looking for Avira when I told you I don’t want you to do that,” Kieran says.

Rubbing the back of my neck, I look around me to see no one. Where did Henry go?

“You see, here’s the thing…” I trail off as I take a step to the left.

“Freeze,” he commands and I stay frozen. “You are going to tell me what you were thinking.”

“I wanted to find Avira once and for all and take care of her myself!” I raise my voice. “I don’t want to be stuck in the castle not doing anything while everyone else looks for her. No one is going to find her when she wants me and I’m the only one who can kill her!”

Did he really not understand?

He had to.