Page 40 of Until the Stars Fall

Slowly he met my gaze, fresh determination filling his eyes. “Well, you can stop now, brother. I’m old enough to face my own consequences. Consider yourself free of that responsibility.”

“I didn’t make that promise to you, dumbass, and I’ll honor it as long as I’m drawing breath or until our mother comes out of her grave to free me from it herself.”

“Always the fucking hero, aren’t you?” Brennan spat at me.

This time I did hit him, burying my fist in his gut.

He doubled over with a pained groan and staggered backwards slightly, his hands clutching his belly.

When he straightened, though, he was laughing. He lifted his hands out to the sides, palms toward the ceiling. “Well, brother, if you want to keep standing between me and our father’s fists, so be it.”

Grinding my teeth, I shook my head. “I wouldn’t have to if you’d stop being a selfish prick and just do what you’re supposed to for once.”

His forehead creased as his eyes danced with comical confusion. “That’s not exactly incentive for me to behave now, is it?”

I rubbed my forehead, silently cursing my brother and this whole damned situation. Blowing out a breath, I lifted my shoulders in a shrug and turned back to the desk to extinguish the lamp. I shoved past him, not bothering to say anything more until I had the door open.

“Look, I’m riding out early in the morning,” I said, but he kept his back to me. “I’ll return at the end of the week, in time for the princess’s arrival. Don’t forget what you have to do, and don’t fuck this up, Brennan.”

When he said nothing and made no move to follow me out, I turned on my heel and left.

Stars, let him not fuck this up.

CHAPTER 20

Lieke

Two days passed, and life basically went back to normal. I filled my time with whatever I could, taking on extra duties for Mrs. Bishop, foraging for mushrooms and berries in the royal forests, testing out new recipes—basically anything to try to forget that Brennan had been about to kiss me before his brother had so rudely interrupted.

Unfortunately, today was my day off, and not even my morning run could help keep my mind from wandering back to the memory of the prince caressing my cheek and leaning in.

Damn Connor!

Why had he barged in at that exact moment?

Why couldn’t he have waited just ten more seconds?

I stopped short and pulled my ponytail up off my neck before lacing my fingers behind my head. Pacing around in a circle, I greedily sucked in the crisp morning air and lifted my eyes to the leaves overhead. They were just starting to change colors, signaling the fast-approaching autumn.

And the upcoming banquet.

The princess would be in attendance, and the staff was abuzz with rumors that Brennan would propose.

What would I do if he actually went through with it though?

“You’ll let him,” I said aloud.

The thought of having to watch him recite the sacred vows to someone else, having to prepare the food for their wedding feast… What if Mrs. Bishop tasked me with making their damned cake?

A growl escaped my throat as I threw my hands back down to my sides. Shaking out my arms, I tried to relax, but there was no getting rid of the prickly unease that settled under my skin. I needed to move, to run, to take all this angst and pound it into the ground under the soles of my feet. After quickly rolling my shoulders and stretching out my neck, I spun around and ran straight into a broad chest.

“Woah there, Lieke,” Brennan said, gently gripping my arms and nudging me back a pace.

I smacked him on the shoulder with the back of my hand and glared at him. “You scared me!”

“I guess your hearing hasn’t improved with age. I wasn’t even trying to be sneaky.” He flashed me a smirk.

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at him. “Not really something that happens for humans, you know. What are you doing here?”

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