Page 27 of Until the Stars Fall

Tonic?I steeled my features, hoping Caroline wouldn’t notice my confusion.

“Seems to be. It’s why I’m here actually. Have you seen your mother?”

“Saw her over at the healer’s tent when I stocked up on stitching supplies not long ago.”

Caroline nodded her thanks and pivoted to leave without another word.

Once she was gone, Raven tapped my arm lightly. “All done, Lieke.”

I winced as I moved my left arm, testing its mobility. “So what’s this miracle tonic?” I asked, aiming for a benignly curious tone.

“Oh, just some new healing medicine my mother discovered years ago.”

“Healing medicine? Yet I’m sitting here getting sewn up with no numbing ointment.”

Raven’s lips slowly lifted into an almost remorseful smile. “Part of the training, I’m afraid.”

CHAPTER 14

Connor

Drawing in a calming breath, I pushed open the door to my father’s office and found him standing at the large window near his desk, looking down at the palace grounds with his hands clasped behind his back. He didn’t turn around as I approached.

“Do you think he’ll propose as he claims he will?” the king asked in a calm voice that did little to put me at ease. Not that I had much reason to be on edge, with everything finally falling into place with Brennan. It had taken us two years to get to this point, but I knew all too well how quickly things could go to shit.

As I pondered my answer, I joined him at the window. Three stories below us, the staff was preparing for yet another party. The gardeners pruned the hedges and straightened up the flower beds while the kitchen staff bustled around, moving tables into place and throwing cloths over them.

“I do,” I said, knowing full well how unconvincing my answer sounded.

“You’ve done well, Connor.”

I froze, unable to breathe or move or even blink. When was the last time he’d given me a compliment? When was the last time he’d said anything that wasn’t a command or a reprimand? I swallowed hard.

“Might want to save those words for after the nuptials,” I said.

My father laughed—not the boisterous laugh that had marked much of my youth, but as much of a laugh as I had heard since Mother passed.

“Fair enough, son,” he said. “Remind me to commend you later.”

“And what if he backs out?” I didn’t know what compelled me to ask that, and I immediately wished I could shove the words back into my mouth.

The king stiffened.

His jaw pulsed.

I opened my mouth to backtrack, as if that were possible, but before I could, he said with his signature fierceness, “Make sure he doesn’t.”

Failure was not an option. It never was for me.

Finally turning to me, the king gave a single nod before gesturing for me to follow him to the sitting area in front of the fireplace. I waited for him to sit first and then perched myself on the edge of the chair opposite him.

“Relax, Connor,” he said, but that was almost as difficult as everything else he demanded of me. Still, I did my best to fake it and scooted back in the chair. Once I’d settled, he gave me a tight smile. “That’s better. Now tell me, what has the general reported? How are our armies faring?”

At least Matthias had given me good news to deliver on this front; his tireless efforts this past year had paid off.

“They’re improving every day. We estimate they will be up to previous standards in another three months or so.”

“Just in time. Good.”

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