Page 21 of Their Witch Bride

He kneels down, and his knees crackle. “Shifters are dangerous…”

“So am I.” It’s easy to force this smile. For him. “I can handle them. And who knows, maybe this will be good for me? A change. I wanted one. Right?”

“Princess Tara…”

“Just Tara,” I tell him, then add on, “You’ve always been like a father to me too.”

“I just want you to be safe.” His voice is thick with emotion.

“I just want you to be safe,” I tell him, my smile widening. “I’m fine. Really. Go relax. This is dinner time for you, right?”

He doesn’t look convinced.

Climbing to my knees, I throw my arms around him. “I’m going to miss you so much.”

He hugs me back. A real hug. Not like the one my mom gave me. “I’m going to miss you too.”

I release him and stand, and he stands too, dragging his bag back onto his back. We stare at each other. Each of us knows the truth: that I don’t want to go, but that there’s no other choice.

“Oh,” he says, his brows lifting, “I brought these for you.” Then he hands me the weapons bag from his shoulder.

I take it and smile. “Thank you.”

“I just wanted you to have something to remember me by.” He looks older than I’ve ever seen him. And tired.

Unable to stop myself, I wrap him in another hug. “Nothing could ever make me forget you.”

He squeezes me tightly, and we separate.

“Keep making beautiful swords,” I tell him.

“Keep being amazing,” he tells me, eyes filled with unshed tears.

It takes everything in me to turn my back on him and start back down the stairs. But with each step I take, my shoulders fall farther and tears roll down my cheeks. Goodbye, Baldemar.

I make my way to my room. But when I open the door, all of my things are gone. In their place are stacked chests and boxes. Who the hell packed my stuff while I was gone? Who knew about this ahead of time?

A line of servants come in and carry the boxes and chests out like a line of ants, taking any signs that I ever lived in this room – a room I’ve lived in since my birth – along with them.

One of them reaches for a bag on my bed, and I hear the jingle of my weapons.

“I’ve got that,” I say, jumping forward.

He gives me a funny look, but bows and hands the bag to me, before selecting something else and following the other servants out. The bag is a comforting presence on my shoulder. It’s a little heavy, but it’s also a reminder that I’m not defenseless against the shifters. If they decide to try something, I’ll fight until my dying breath.

Going to the bed, I put the weapons from my bag into Baldemar’s bag. I try not to notice the weapons he selected for me as I do so, but they hum in my hand when I touch them. A smile curls my lips, and my heart aches. He knows me too well.

Wisp appears before me with a sad look on her face.

“Why so glum, Wisp?” I ask, even though I already know the answer.

“Glum,” she says, and she sounds as heartbroken as I feel.

I sit on the edge of the bed, and Wisp floats in front of my face, close enough that I can see her sad expression. “I think I might just have to make the most of this… unless they rip me to shreds the moment we leave witch lands.”

“Shred witch lands.” Her voice is vicious and angry now. If she had a little fist, I’m sure she’d be clenching it.

I finally have a real smile. “No! That’s why she gave me to them, so they won’t shred our lands.”

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