Page 194 of Glow of the Everflame

“You’re back,” I said.

He nodded. His eyes traveled over my jewels, my cape, my dress. “You’re... a sight to behold.”

A blush rose to my cheeks. “Eleanor and Lily thought it would be good for me to feel like a true Queen today.”

“And do you?”

The corner of my lips twitched up. “I’m getting there.”

His intense gaze burned with words unsaid. I knew from the flare of hope I saw within them that my own expression was giving me away.

“You dropped something.” I pulled my cape back and unclasped the Sword of Corbois from the leather band at my waist. I held it out in offering, the gilded hilt and gleaming blade resting on my outstretched palms.

He stared down at the sword and started to reach for it, then paused. “You should keep it. It’s meant to be worn by a person sworn to protect House Corbois. My loyalty is now...” His eyes returned to mine. “...elsewhere.”

My stomach fluttered. “I’m a bit preoccupied trying to keep several thousand mortals alive at the moment. Maybe you could do me a favor and take House Corbois off my hands?” I fought, and failed, to keep my smile away. “Besides, I know better than to take a man’s jewelry away. They do get so fussy about such things.”

His smirk won out, as well. “As you wish, my Queen.” He took the sword, his hands brushing not-quite-accidentally over mine. “My father is going to want it back.”

“Then give it to him,” I said sweetly. “Pointy end first.”

His meaningful look said he was strongly considering it. He slipped the sword into the empty sheath at his back, and something about seeing the jeweled handle rising once again over his shoulder set my soul at ease.

“I heard what Remis did with your titles. Luther, I'm so sorry—”

“Don’t,” he said. “That was not your fault.”

“It was. I shouldn’t have put you between me and your family.”

“This goes much deeper than your arrival here. That confrontation has been a long time coming.”

I hesitated, then took a few steps closer. I set my hand on his chest and dropped my voice to a whisper. “He did this, didn’t he? It was an attack from your father that gave you this scar?”

He nodded, a muscle feathering along his jaw.

“Why?” I breathed. “You were just a child—how could he do that to his own son?”

For a moment, it looked like he might respond, but just as he had done so many times before, his steely mask settled in place, and his mouth pressed closed. All my hurt and anger began to resurface. I moved to pull away.

“Wait.” His hand shot to mine. “I want to tell you...”

“But?”

“But… that story is long and difficult, and not one I wish for many to know. And if you haven’t noticed, we have a rather eager audience.”

I glanced to the dungeon stairs. There was a flurry of shuffling and sudden chatter as the others scrambled to pretend they hadn’t been scrutinizing our every move.

I stifled a laugh. “Fair enough. Another time, then.”

He let out a long exhale, the tension relaxing from his posture. “I’m sick of keeping things from you. I want you to know everything. Every secret I have is yours.”

I struggled to hold his gaze as I thought of the Guardians and the role I’d played in helping them. “I’ve kept things from you, too. Things that might make you look at me differently.”

Luther crooked a finger under my chin and gently nudged it up until my eyes returned to his. “There’s nothing you could reveal that would change how I feel about you.”

My heart thundered.

“No more secrets, then. After the Challenging, we come clean about everything. Brutal honesty.”

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