Page 111 of Blooms of Darkness

Shaking my head, I brought myself back to reality. “We need to tell the others. I want to make sure Kalliah knows to be vigilant.” I wrung my hands together, this time looking at Ian. “I can’t—I will not make it if I lose her like I lost Elisabeth, Ian. We need to figure out who our most trusted guards are and keep them close. To all of us.”

I paced around my room as the others stood there staring at me. A thought stopped me in my tracks. Pivoting slowly, my heart hammered harder in my chest. I faced all three men, fear threatening to turn my stomach at what the answer to my next question might be.

“Does my father know?”

The three of them shared a glance, Ian stepping forward. “No, he doesn’t. He’s been with your mother and Maria, the new head healer, since the festival last night.” Ian scrubbed a hand over his face. “He’s getting worse, Lan.”

The pit in my stomach churned. Elisabeth had been the most gifted healer in Ellevail, and I’d bet my life the entirety of Brookmere as well. If she hadn’t been able to heal him, what hope would Maria have? I couldn’t dwell on such thoughts right now, though. The next trial was coming up in a few days. If a traitor hid amongst us in the palace, we needed to do something.

“Do you think he will postpone the next trial?” I asked, knowing what the answer would be, especially with my father getting worse.

“No,” they all said in unison.

Storm stepped forward and stood next to Ian. “There’s three days until the final event. I’ll take to the city streets and see what I can find. Someone may slip with the right encouragement and reveal some sort of information.”

“Kade and I can work on ensuring the palace is as secure as possible. We’ll keep an eye on Casimir, Ryland, and Hale. I’ll also have Corbin and Leif see what they can find out, too. The staff might have noticed something in the contenders' suites.”

I rubbed my forehead as my frustration grew. I’d been given nothing to do, a fact I knew Ian had done on purpose, by the way he avoided my gaze. “And what am I supposed to do? Sit around and twiddle my thumbs? Braid my hair and play with my pretty dresses?”

Kade snorted. “Careful, Little Rebel, you make it sound like you didn’t have enough excitement last night.”

Storm sighed while Ian slugged Kade in the arm. “Come on, not in front of us. She’s the damned princess.”

Kade didn’t back down or pay either of the men any attention. His hungry stare focused on me, daring me to argue.

“You wouldn’t be able to handle the amount of excitement I can take,” I huffed.

“Fates, Lan. You two are unbelievable,” Ian mumbled.

I opened my mouth to say more but Ian groaned. “Enough. Your parents are expecting you for breakfast, so any ‘excitement’is going to have to wait.”

I rolled my eyes. “Oh, please, we’re tame compared toyourstories, Ian Stronholm. Now out, all of you! I have to get ready.”

Storm immediately headed for the door, while Kade leaned against my bedpost. “I’ll just collect my things.”

Ian grumbled, muttering under his breath. “I will be waiting outside to walk you to breakfast. Ruppert is attending a meeting at my request. Be quick.” He closed my door a little harder than necessary, and I could hear him pacing outside, waiting for me.

Kade, somehow, was already halfway dressed by the time I turned around. After the evening that transpired between us, I didn’t quite know what to say. Fortunately, his shadows had been pooling around my back and were already pulling me close, tilting my chin toward his. “Goodbye for now, Little Rebel.” He leaned down, this time kissing me softly. “I’ll see you soon.” I shivered against his mouth, his lips claiming mine like some sort of promise.

But I knew that wasn’t what this was.

I had only given into my desires to get Kade Blackthorn out of my system. The newly reformed Illiana would stand tall. That had been the point of last night. I had gotten what I wanted, what I needed from him, and now I could move on. I could make a safer choice for King. One without secrets.

Except, having Kade did only one thing—leave me craving more.

Craving. Wanting. There wasn’t a strong enough word. My body hummed with energy, demanding it.

Kade peered over his shoulder once before he and his shadows disappeared off the balcony and into the gardens below.

I wrapped my arms around myself, my skin noticeably cooler now from the lack of shadowy touches caressing me.

My goodbye had to mean more. A true goodbye, not one laced with a promise of more when it couldn’t be.

“Goodbye, Kade,” I whispered.

Despite the coughing, and the hunched presence of my father, he still smiled at me as I entered the private dining room for breakfast.

My mother clung to his arm. Despite their arranged marriage, their love was agonizingly written into everything they did. I never understood how they weren’t fated mates. I used to dream that even though mates only existed long ago, that they somehow broke a spell, and their love would allow for my mate to find me as well. Even if it was only a childish notion, if I couldn’t have a mate, I’d want a love like theirs.

---