“I was thinking I wanted to stop the man who ordered me killed.”
Balsam pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’ve kept him locked up because one of the guards said he heard the assassin say Nial was involved. He also said the man was carrying a blade with an Illidan crest. Right after Queen Casnia herself showed up at the ball. That doesn’t seem like a coincidence.”
“I don’t think Casnia is involved at all. But let’s ask Nial himself, shall we?”
Balsam looked skeptical, but he gestured for the guard to open the heavy locked door. Together we stepped inside the dark chamber that smelled of blood and piss. I hefted up my skirts as we stepped across to the shadowed corner of the room where Nial was chained to the wall, still wearing his clothes from the ball. He was the only prisoner at the moment, which was fortunate for him.
“How dare you treat me this way,” Nial said, glaring at us both. “I’ve done nothing wrong, but you can be sure my father will hear about this.”
“A member of the Ravens confessed that you hired them to kill Princess Dahlia,” Balsam asked in his most commanding tone. “Is this true?”
“Of course not,” Nial said with disdain. “This must be some kind of mistake. They’re setting me up to sabotage our alliance. Probably Ilidan.”
Balsam raised an eyebrow at me, likely agreeing with Nial. I stepped forward and stared my fiancé down, noticing how he had a hard time meeting my eyes. Though I already knew the truth, I pulled out my glowing dagger, which both men stared at in surprise.
“It’s time you stopped lying to us,” I said to Nial.
“What is that?” Balsam asked.
“Fellina made it for me. It forces people to tell the truth.”
“Fellina did that?”
“Yes, she’s been helping me with this matter.” I took a step closer to Nial, who tried to struggle against his chains. I slid the dagger across his forearm, making a tiny, shallow cut that wouldn’t even scar—but gave me enough blood to make the dagger glow brighter.
“Sun and Moon, Dahlia,” Balsam muttered.
I stepped back and held up the shining blade. “Now you’re going to tell the truth. Did you hire the Ravens to kill me?”
“Yes, I did,” Nial said, though it sounded like he was struggling to keep the words in and failing.
Even though I’d been expecting this answer, his words still made a hard pit grow in my stomach. I’d never loved Nial, but I’d always considered him a good man and a friend. Now it was clear I meant nothing to him at all. “Why?”
Nial’s head bowed in defeat as he was forced to give in to the dagger’s interrogation. “Andaria has decided to ally with Rodor instead. Once I broke our alliance, I planned to wed Queen Elsap.”
Balsam grabbed the dagger from my hand and gave Nial another gash on his arm. “Did Queen Elsap know about this plot?”
Nial flinched back. “She’s the one who proposed it to me actually. Our marriage will unite Rodor and Andaria and allow us to defeat the growing threat that Mesner poses.”
“Was Ilidan involved at all?” my brother asked.
“No. We wanted you to think Ilidan was behind the assassination. We hoped your two kingdoms would tear each other apart, so that once we conquered Mesner we could take them while they were weakened.”
I plucked the dagger from Balsam’s hand. “Satisfied?”
“Unfortunately, yes.” He crossed his arms and leveled a steely gaze at the prince.
I slid the dagger back into its sheath with a sigh. “You could have simply broken our engagement, Nial.”
He finally met my eyes with a hateful look I’d never seen before. “And you could have married me three years ago instead of delaying endlessly.”
“That’s enough,” Balsam snapped. He gave Nial one last withering glare before gesturing for me to follow him out of the dungeon. I hesitated, trying to find something else to say to Nial, but I simply wanted him out of my sight.
When the dungeon door was locked behind us, Balsam asked, “What am I supposed to do with him? For his crimes he should be executed, but he’s a prince of Andaria. His father could see any punishment as an act of war.”
“I’m not sure. Talk to Fellina and see what she thinks.” She might be able to use her fortune magic to find the best course of action, and if not, she would probably have a good idea of what to do anyway.
“I will.” Balsam rubbed his chin, looking weary. “I need some time to think on this. And I must deal with the Ravens too for agreeing to complete this contract.”
“Let me handle that.”
After he walked away, I used one of the secret tunnels underground to take me to the tower, one of the fastest and most discrete methods of getting around the castle grounds. Once there, I climbed the many flights of stairs, feeling exhaustion take over. The sun was high in the sky, but I’d been awake all night long. Nial would likely still be recovering too. After a short nap I would check on him—and help my brother figure out what to do with Nial.
I removed my dress and climbed into bed in only my chemise, then instantly fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
When the sun’s light had vanished, I woke to the sound of a boot scraping across the floor and the movement of fabric. I reached for my knife, but relaxed once I realized who it was.
I sat up slowly and blinked sleep away. “What are you doing here?”
Garon stood at the foot of my bed dressed all in black, looking dark, deadly, and delicious. “I had to see you.”
“You’re supposed to be in bed.”
“Is that so?” He lowered himself onto the bed and crawled over me, his large, masculine body covering me completely. “How’s this?”
Desire raced through my veins as I looked up at his handsome, roguish face, only inches from mine. “A good start. Though I think you’re wearing far too many clothes.”
“I can fix that.” He sat up with his knees on either side of my hips and tugged off his shirt, then tossed it across the room. I stared at his muscular chest, which was dotted with scars and darkened with bruises, and worried perhaps we should wait until he was more recovered. But before I could ask if he was in any pain, he lowered his head and captured my mouth with his. All thought fled from my mind except desire and love for him, along with the sense of how right this was. I’d waited for years for Garon to sneak into my rooms again and now he was here.
He was mine once more. And this time I wasn’t letting him go.
Ten
Garon
As we kissed, my hand slid up Dahlia’s chemise toward the forbidden pleasure I’d been denied for the past three years. Dahlia and I had lost our virginity together when we were sixteen, and I’d never been happier than when I was in her arms. We had one blissful year together, and after I walked away, I couldn’t stand to touch another woman in the same way. I’d tried to use other women to get over her, but kissing was as far as I’d ever gotten because none of them were her. That meant three long years of solitude and pent-up lust. To say I was eager to be between her thighs again was an understatement. I needed her. Now.
The only way I’d managed to resist her all these years, knowing how good she tasted and felt, was by keeping my distance. But I couldn’t resist any longer, especially now that she was no longer engaged. And I didn’t want to.
From the way she kissed me back and yanked at my trousers, she needed me too. I slipped a hand between her legs and felt how wet she was for me. She let out a soft moan as I stroked her folds and found that spot that sent her higher and higher. At the same time I trailed my lips along her neck and to her shoulder, where I yanked down the strap of her chemise to reach one of her perfect, full breasts. I took one in my mouth, letting my tongue circle her hard nipple, but it wasn’t enough.
I grabbed hold of the her chemise and ripped it down the middle, making her gasp while revealing her full, naked body. For a moment I let my eyes linger on her round breasts, narrow waist, and full hips, before lowering my lips to her soft f
lesh. She moaned as I licked her nipples once more and then began sucking on them lightly. Damn, she tasted as good as I remembered.
After I thoroughly lavished attention on her breasts, she grabbed onto my shoulders and looked me in the eyes. “Stop teasing me and take me already.”
“Such a demanding princess,” I said, as I slid down my trousers. I wanted to do so much more to her, but that could wait for another night. Or a second round later tonight. As I nudged my cock between her thighs, I grabbed her wrists and brought them over her head, pinning her down. “But I’m going to be the one making demands tonight.”
I thrust into her in one smooth movement, shocking us both with the sudden intensity. Sun and Moon, how I’d missed this. Our bodies were flush, skin sliding against skin, as I moved in and out of her slowly, savoring every second of it. She wrapped her legs around my hips, drawing me in even deeper, and her mouth found mine. I stroked her with my tongue just as I stroked her with my cock, catching her moans with my mouth.
I entwined my fingers with hers as I pumped into her harder and faster, unable to resist the pleasure spiking in us both. She threw her head back and her breathing grew ragged and I knew she was close, which only brought me closer to the edge too. I wanted to feel her come around me, squeezing me tight, knowing I was the only one who could bring her to such heights.
“Come for me.” I released one of her hands and reached between her thighs to push her over the edge. “Show me you’re mine.”
“Garon!” she cried out, as I thrust deep inside her.
I claimed her mouth again just as the orgasm shook through her, making her body clench up around me like she needed to be as close to me as possible. Her free hand grasped my back, her nails digging into my skin, and that slight pain pushed me past the point of no return. I let myself go, pounding wildly into her, giving her everything I had.
When the last throes of pleasure lost their grip, I rolled onto my back and cradled her in my arms, stroking her dark hair. She traced her fingers across my chest, gazing up at me with her intense blue eyes. I took her chin and kissed her softly, feeling content for the first time in years.
“I love you,” I said, as I stared into her eyes.
“I love you too,” she said, as she ran her fingers along my rough jaw. “When I thought I had lost you...”
My arms tightened around her. “You’ll never lose me.”
“Prince Nial confessed. My engagement is broken.” She caught my face in her hands. “And I want to be yours. No matter what it takes. I’ll find a way for us to be together.”
“I never should have let you go. I should have fought for you before. I was a fool.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“I came to the castle to tell you to break off your engagement and run away with me.” I let out a dark laugh. “I was even more foolish back then, and ridiculously selfish too. But I ran into your brother and he convinced me that you had to do this for your kingdom and your family, and that I could never take you away from here. He made me see that you and I were simply not meant to be, and that by continuing our relationship in secret I would only hurt you more.”
She pushed herself up to a sitting position, her face darkening with anger. “My brother said all that?”
“He did, but he was only trying to protect you. And you know he was right.” I pulled her back down to me and pressed a kiss to her lips. “None of that has changed, but I don’t know that I can give you up this time.”
“You won’t have to give me up,” she said with a sly smile. “I have an idea.”
I chuckled softly. “Of course you do.”
I brought her close for another kiss, my hand moving to her hip, my cock already getting hard again. But then a sharp rap sounded on her door.
One of the guards called out, “I beg your pardon, your highness, but the King has demanded your presence immediately.”
“What is it?” she asked, with a groan.
“Prince Nial has escaped.”
Eleven
Dahlia
Garon and I quickly donned our clothes and returned to the castle to find my brother. Though the sky was already dark and the moon high, Balsam was still in his study, tension making his forehead wrinkle.
He looked up at us as we entered. “Garon? What are you doing here?”
Garon opened his mouth to answer but I held up a hand. “I’ll get to that in a moment,” I said. “Where is Prince Nial?”
Balsam’s face turned even more grim. “He vanished from the dungeon. All the guards were knocked out by some kind of sleep spell. We assume a wizard teleported him away.” He paused to let those words sink in. “Queen Elsap is gone too.”
“She must have freed him with her wizard. What should we do—send an assassin?” I asked, glancing at Garon.
Balsam shook his head. “No, we don’t want to start another war, not when we’re already busy enough with Ilidan. I’ll send a letter to the king of Mesner to warn him of their plans and to try to arrange an alliance between us. I believe he has a son who is unwed and would be suitable for you.”
I glanced at Garon, bolstered by his presence. “A fine idea, brother. But I’m afraid you will have to form this alliance without me.”
“What do you mean?” Balsam asked.
I drew in a breath and took Garon’s hand. “I wish to propose a new alliance—with the Ravens.”
“The Ravens tried to assassinate you.” His eyes narrowed at Garon. “Did you have something to do with that?”
Garon faced my brother without flinching. “I stopped the men responsible for the attack and challenged the Raven Master in ritual combat. And I won.”
“Garon is the new Raven Master,” I said. “By marrying him, we will gain all of the Ravens as our allies.”
Balsam leaned back in his chair. “Why should I trust the Ravens? I had a deal with them before, which they betrayed.”
“The Ravens once served the royal family of Talador as spies, thieves, and assassins. I wish to offer our services again…and our loyalty.” Garon kneeled before Balsam, his head bowed.
“And in return, you want my sister’s hand in marriage?”
“Exactly.”
Balsam pinched his forehead. “I should have known I could never keep the two of you apart. But truly Dahlia, you cannot expect to marry the son of a servant. Or worse, an assassin. It simply isn’t done.”
“You married Fellina for love,” I pleaded, unable to stop the desperation from entering my voice. “Could you not let me do the same?”
Balsam moved to the windows and gazed out at the dark forest for some time. Garon got to his feet as we waited for my brother’s response. If Balsam said no, we would have to flee the kingdom together, something neither of us wanted—but it would be worth it to be together.
My brother finally turned toward me with a sigh. “I’m sorry.”
“Whatever for?” I asked.
“For convincing Garon to let you go all those years ago. For arranging the marriage with Nial in the first place. I had just become King and was dealing with the loss of our parents and my new role as the ruler of Talador. I was only thinking of our kingdom’s future, but I should have been thinking of you too.”
Emotion gripped my throat. “You only did what you thought was best.”
“Perhaps. I had never known love at that point. I thought the two of you were simply being rebellious, swept away in your forbidden affair. But once I met Fellina, I knew I could never marry another, and I see now how much I wronged you both by keeping you apart.” He glanced between the two of us. “You have my blessing.”
The relief was so strong I thought it might knock me over. I threw my arms around Balsam. “Thank you.”
He pulled back and nodded at Garon, who couldn’t hide his faint smile. “We have much to discuss about the future of the Ravens. I look forward to an agreement that can benefit us both.” Balsam’s voice lowered. “But do know that if you let any harm befall my sister,
I will destroy every last one of you.”
Garon took my hand and pressed a kiss to it. “Dahlia’s safety and happiness are my utmost priority.”
“See that it remains that way,” Balsam said.
Once my brother dismissed us, we moved into the hallway, where Garon pulled me into his arms and pressed his lips to mine. We’d never been so open about our relationship in the castle before, and though I’d always thought our secret romance was exhilarating, being able to shout our love to the world was even better.
When we broke apart, beaming at each other, I noticed Fellina stood behind Garon. “Congratulations,” she said.
“How did you know?” Garon asked.
She gave him that beautiful, serene smile. “I just did.”
My eyes widened. “You knew all of this would happen all along, didn’t you? That’s why you asked me to move to the tower.”
“The fortune runes often show me many different futures and the paths we might take. This one leads to the brightest future—for the two of you, for Talador, and for the King’s daughters.” She ran her fingers over her stomach. “As I said, they’ll need you. Both of you.”
“I wish you would tell me more,” I said, worry creeping in through my joy. “You truly are the queen of secrets.”
She laughed softly. “No, but they will call you that one day.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Later, I promise.” She took my hand in hers and gave it a squeeze. “First we have a wedding to plan.”
Twelve
Garon
ONE YEAR LATER
I found Dahlia in the garden, sitting on a stone bench beside Fellina, who was already round with her second child. Her first daughter, Lily, sat on the ground by their feet, slowly ripping pieces of grass apart with her chubby fingers. The future ruler of Talador was dark-haired like her father and would no doubt be as beautiful as her mother.
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