Page 133 of Until the Stars Fall

The healer’s brows rose over his weary eyes. “It appears that way, but nothing is certain. How this poison is getting here is anyone’s guess, but if it is from their island, it would have to be going through one of the ports in Arenysen.”

Matthias leaned close to me and whispered, “It’s a good thing your brother’s marrying their princess.”

Lieke didn’t visit me in my dreams that night. Instead I chased invisible rebels across my kingdom and beyond. But no matter what I did, I couldn’t catch them, couldn’t stop them. Scene after bloody scene assaulted my mind. And all the while, the victims—the families, the guards, the lone travelers—haunted me as I searched for the humans responsible. I woke with my muscles tight and my head pounding.

A voice echoed from far-off, and my heart sank when I realized it wasn’t Lieke’s.

“Your Highness, it’s time for breakfast.”

I opened my eyes to find my page staring down at me apologetically. Rubbing my hand over my face, I groaned. “Set it on the table as usual.”

“Afraid I can’t, sir. His Majesty insists you join the family this morning in the dining room.”

CHAPTER 67

Lieke

I only afforded Connor’s door a cursory glance before slipping into my own room. On the dining table, a folded piece of paper had been left—a note from Matthias. He had talked to Connor, and Connor was “fine.” That should have relieved me, but it only made his behavior in the stables—and over the past few days—more painful.

If he wasfine, it meant I’d done something wrong.

Except I hadn’t.

Setting the note back down, I walked to the bedroom and sat on the edge of my bed. I had replayed the kiss—stars, I’d replayed the entire trip—in my head so many times, and still I couldn’t find any logical explanation for his reaction.

He had held me! He had kissed me!

I never should have let him. I never should have ignored our rules.

Had I simply imagined his growing feelings for me?

Had I simply seen what I wanted to see?

He initiated that kiss though,I reminded myself yet again. Why would he have done that if he didn’t feel anything for me?

Maybe he was testing you like Brennan did.

My head snapped up from where I’d dropped it into my hands.

A test.

Was that what the kiss had been?

A test to see if I was his mate?

The words from my dream echoed in my mind.

My bride. My love. My mate.

Scoffing at the absurdity of it all, I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t completely shake the niggling in the back of my head that this was it; he’d been testing me.

And I’d obviously failed.

I searched my memories for the moment when his lips had hit mine, and I could almost feel them caressing mine, could almost taste him on my tongue. Had there been some kind of magic spark? Some lightning bolt like his father had described? Connor had said humans didn’t notice the bond like fae did. Was it possible I just couldn’t feel it like he could?

And if it was the case that I really was his—I couldn’t even think the word again—why had he run? Why had he been avoiding me? Why would he refuse to talk to me?

That night, I didn’t find Connor in my dreams. I was back in the forest on the old hunting trail at the small clearing where we had camped. The horses grazed while the guards—Evan and Willem—huddled together near a tree. Tears pricked my eyes at seeing Connor’s men and horse alive and well.

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