Page 134 of The Princess and Her Grand King

“Why am I leaving him?” Emeriel whispered, lifting her tear-filled eyes to meet the grand lord’s. “Why am I leaving him, L-Lord Ottai? Because… for th-the life of me, I can’t s-seem to remember.”

His kind eyes held hers, but he didn’t respond.

“I wanted to protect myself. To protect my heart.” She tried to breathe through the heaviness in her chest. “But why does it feel like there’s no saving it from this? Why does it feel like I’m breaking it even more by leaving?”

She turned her gaze to the tranquil waters of the lake, her reflection rippling in its depths. “With every step I take, it’s like my heart is being crushed into pieces. Leaving h-him isn’t supposed to h-hurt this much, Lord Ottai.”

Lord Ottai stepped into the lake, water lapping around him as he crossed back toward her. She took a step back, giving him space, all the while fighting to keep the dam at bay.

“It hurts this way because you still love him, Emeriel,” he said gently. “You never stopped loving him.”

A sob broke from Emeriel’s throat, and her hand flew to her mouth to muffle the sound.

“It hurts this way because you have already forgiven him,” Lord Ottai went on, his voice compassionate. “You forgave him a long time ago, but you have been clinging to the remnants of anger that no longer exists. That anger was your shield, the wall you built to protect yourself from the pain—to block your love for him.”

Another sob escaped, then another, each one shaking her body. Tears flooded down her cheeks as she buried her face in her hands.

“But that wall has long since crumbled.” Lord Ottai took her trembling hand away from her face, holding it. “It’s gone, Emeriel. It hasn’t been there for a long time. Your feelings for him returned, no matter how hard you tried to fight them. And while you were with him again, those feelings only grew stronger. You’re hurting now because you’re trying to run from what you already know to be true.”

“I haven’t even crossed the m-mountain yet, and I al-already miss him so much.” She turned, tracing the path they had walked. “It hasn’t even been a full day s-since I saw him, and all I want is to go to him. To b-be in his presence for the rest of the day.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “How do I live without him, Lord Ottai?”

“No one can answer that question but you, dear child,” He gave her hand a comforting squeeze.

“I don’t want to live without him. I don’t want to go back to the hell of living without him again.” A choked, shaky laugh broke from her lips as she swiped at her eyes. “I thought leaving was the answer—that I wouldn’t survive if he broke my heart again. But now that I’ve thought about it… the truth is, I cannot survive a future without him in it.”

Lord Ottai’s gaze softened, and he tilted his head. “Have you ever told him that?”

“I’m too afraid…” Emeriel looked down at her hand in his, her voice barely above a whisper. “Terrified it’ll be thrown back in my face.”

“Sometimes, the best solution is to step beyond that fear. To take a single step of courage. Because what truly hurts is not trying, but giving up.” Lord Ottai said.

“Riel.”

Emeriel’s head shot up atthatdeep, unmistakable voice, her breath catching painfully in her chest.Had she heard that right?

“He’s behind me, isn’t he?” she whispered shakily.

“Yes, he is.”

“Lord Ottai…”

“This time, tell him everything. No running. No holding back. Face him and pour out your heart.”

Hope unfurled in her chest. Just hearing King Daemonikai's voice had taken some of the crushing weight off her heart. His presence alone made iteasier tobreathe.

I’ve been fighting a lost cause all this time, haven’t I?

“Riel, look at me.”

Her heart stuttered and she looked up at Lord Ottai.

“I’ll leave you two to talk.” Ottai released her hand, stepping back.

With her tear-streaked face, and breaths that trembled, Emeriel turned to face him.

Chapter thirty-one

TWO HEARTS BARE.

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