Page 139 of A Court Bright and Broken

“My brother’s had a hard time of it,” he said. “I can’t say he’s experienced a lot of generosity in his lifewithoutstrings attached. Negotiating is the only way he really knows to get what he wants.”

Stellon took my hands inside his. “Are you really okay? You must have been frightened when he came through the wall.”

“I didn’t actually see it happen. I just woke up when he spoke to me. But yes, I was definitely frightened.”

After a pause I added, “I’m glad you came back when you did.”

“I can’t imagine a world in which he’d have actually hurt you,” Stellon said. “But I must admit I never thought he’d sneak into my bedroom in the middle of the night either.”

“Maybe you don’t know him as well as you think you do,” I muttered. “Whydidyou come back?”

“I couldn’t stay away,” Stellon said as if admitting a weakness.

“I must have walked miles through the palace halls,” he said, “thinking about the things you said. And I realized I’ve sort of been going through my life with blinders on, not asking too many questions, giving unconscious obedience to my father, just going with the flow like a leaf floating downstream.”

He squeezed my hands. “But you made me think, showed me there might be another way. You’re good for me, Rae.”

Stellon blinked a couple of times, offered me a nervous smile. “I came back because I have a question to ask you.”

“What is it?”

He shook his head rapidly. “First… I need to tell you everything about myself—the whole truth. That way you’ll know what you’re getting yourself into.”

Chapter 37

The Whole Truth

Stellon

I hoped Mareth was right when she’d said women loved honesty.

Telling Raewyn the truth about my glamour had gone well—then I’d gone and insulted her by suggesting she should become my consort.

Now it seemed I might have a second chance. It terrified me to think about confessing thefulltruth, but I knew it was the only way forward for us.

And honestly, it wasn’t as scary as walking in here and finding her in my brother’s grasp.

Pharis had claimed to have honorable intentions, but for a moment there I was half-convinced what he’d ask for as payment to keep my secret was somealone timewith Raewyn.

He looked at her far too long and with far too much interest.

Who could blame him, really? She was ethereally beautiful, even in her wrinkled shift with her hair mussed on one side from sleep.

She looked so young now sitting here with the firelight gilding her skin and hair. Innocent. Almost childlike. And yet sowomanly my hands literally ached from the effort not to touch the curves I could see outlined in the thin shift.

I wasnotinnocent. Far from it. And if I was going to ask Raewyn what I planned to ask her, I would have to tell herallof it.

Everything I’d done.

Taking a seat next to her, I cleared my throat, not quite sure how to start.

“You seem to have a very negative opinion of my brother,” I began.

“I wonder why?” she asked facetiously.

“He and I aren’t so different,” I said. “He may have the reputation as the ‘bad brother,’ but Pharis isn’t all bad… and I’m not all good.”

“I know that. No one is,” Raewyn said. “But youarea good person. What’s all this about, Stellon?”

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