Page 158 of Ravenrose

I drag a hand down my face, shifting away from her.

She’s the Princess of Sitara.

Fae.

My enemy.

Why is it then lately, that every time I look at her—for a few dangerous seconds—I forget that?

Rowan pushes herself up so she’s sitting, and as she wins the battle against her tears, an absent look enters her eyes as she goes somewhere else for a minute. A memory, maybe?

I should leave it alone.

“What did you dream about?” I find myself asking just nearly a second later.

Rowan’s eyes snap to mine, a haunted expression in them now, her body going stiff at my mention of her dream.

Yup. Should have left it alone.

Another tear breaks free, slipping down her cheek before she can brush it away.

“I’m fine.”

She’s not.

“We can keep pretending if you want,” I mutter, “But I think we both know that isn’t true.”

Her expression sharpens to a glare. “You’re one to talk about pretending,” she bites back.

Fair.

I don’t say anything.

“What are we doing, Ayer?” she demands when I remain silent. “Why am I here?”

My jaw tightens and I look away. Because to be honest, I don’t fucking know anymore. The answer should be easy: revenge. Revenge for my family, for my friends, for my kingdom. She’s a means to an end.

“It’s complicated,” I say finally.

“That’s not an answer.”

“I know,” I mumble, avoiding her gaze as I get out of bed, distracting myself with dressing for the day.

Frustrated, she throws back the blankets and climbs out of bed.

My eyes betray me immediately.

That dress.

And just like that, the memory of how she tasted last night when I bit down⁠—

“Are we training today?”

“What?” My eyes snap up, catching the growing smirk on Rowan’s face after she caught me staring at her.

“Training? You mentioned training on the ride back here yesterday.” Her arms fold across her chest, pushing it up, just as she shifts her weight onto one hip, looking at me expectantly. That, combined with that godsdamned dress, her messy hair falling down her back, and her cheeks flushed from crying...

Gods.