Page 132 of King of Storms and Feathers

“Thought so. Of course you didn’t.”

“But I may have roared and shouted excessively for far too many days and nights,” he said, lowering me into the tub. “However, I would cry if I lost you. If you had died tonight, Mydorian would be awash with my tears, and not long after, ablaze with my fury.”

Warm water soothed my body, but at his words, my muscles drew tight again. I waited for him to say more, every nerve abuzz, as if a sparkle of fireflies flew through my veins, igniting hope.

He took a cloth and washed blood from my arms, then drew a sharp breath. “You’ve taught me that caring for someone is worth the pain and risk of possibly losing them. And that to love someone isn’t a weakness but an act of bravery, for which the rewards are endless.”

I stared at him, shocked by his confession. Was the Storm King trying to tell me he’d developed feelings for me? And if so, what was I going to do about it?

Broad shoulders shrugged as a shiver ran along his dark wings. “And I’ve learned that I feel physically unwell when I cannot see you and keep you safe.”

“Now you sound like a stalker.”

He chuckled. “If so, I feel no shame, only gratitude that I am here, caring for you now. Let go of the pain, Leaf. It’s safe to break apart while I’m holding you. I’ve got you.”

As I ducked my head under the water, I did what the storm king urged and let my tears fall again. While my body shook, I cried for the loss of my family. For the brother who grew to hate me because he was born two minutes before me, yet could never inherit a throne.

As Arrow rocked me, his voice rumbling against my ear, I sobbed for the dissolution of old hopes and dreams until, finally, I smiled with gratitude for what was left.

Van. A land of free people that I belonged to. And for the man who held me in his arms—Arrowyn—the enemy who had bought me, freed me from a cage only to lock me up again. My lover, who I had sworn to hate forever. The king I loved with every fragment of my broken heart.

“Thank you,” I said, smiling as he wiped my tears.

He kissed my forehead, my cheeks, and assured me everything would be all right, that he would never let anything bad happen to me. Never, he swore. Never again.

Ignoring the clothes Ari had delivered, he wrapped me in his cloak and carried me to the chambers the Mydorian steward had assigned him. As if I was made of delicate crystal instead of dust and stone and grit, he laid me in the bed and tucked the covers around me.

As he sat beside me, his lips curved in a tentative smile. “I suppose now is as good a time as any for me to grovel.”

Grinning, I smoothed the covers over my stomach. “Yes, it’s a fine time for groveling.”

“As you wish.” He drew a deep breath. “Leaf, I am sorry for every pain I caused you, every fear I ignited in your heart, and every hope I dashed. Can you forgive me?”

“Are you apologizing because I’ll rule a realm that you hope to remain on good terms with?”

He loosed a hard breath, his big shoulders heaving. “No! I say it because it is true. Because I can’t bear for you to hate me. I’ve never begged for anything in my life. Not even when my family died did I beg the gods for the pain to ease. I wanted to endure it. Pay the price for surviving when they didn’t. But if it will help my case, I would fall to my knees for you a million times over, Leaf.”

“A million? If you plan to achieve this before sunrise, you’d better get started.”

He knelt beside the bed, clasping my fingers between his steepled hands as if in prayer. “Zali Omala, Queen of Mydorian, my Aldara, my vicious, most precious Leaf, I beg forgiveness for my past mistakes and plead with you to return to Coridon with me as my—”

“Arrow, I can’t leave here. I have a kingdom to set in order and Van to take care of. The time has come for you to set me free.”

He swallowed. “But when I picture leaving you… I cannot… I can’t see myself doing it.”

“Arrow, letting me go is the least you owe me. Then when I return to you, you’ll know I did so willingly, not out of obligation or fear.”

“Fear? I don’t think you were ever truly afraid of me.”

“I’m afraid now,” I said.

A dark gold brow rose. “Why is that?” he whispered.

“I’m afraid you’re never going to kiss me again.”

He laughed and got to his feet, flinging his clothes off before sliding into bed beside me. Slowly, we worshiped each other’s bodies, each tender touch expressing what we couldn’t bear to say aloud, as we dozed on and off throughout the night.

The next day, we slept through dawn and rose after lunch to inspect the palace, the city, and reassure Mydorians that peace and order would be restored, and that the Storm Court would stand with us as our allies.

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