Page 66 of The Princess and Her Grand King

"I broke your heart, and it haunts me," he sighed, apologetic. "I regret sending you away. Words are feeble, and I’m not good with them. I wish you could look into my heart and see how I truly feel."

"I guess I should have expected that," she whispered. "I told you I never had a choice in anything, and you sought to give me one. I guess I should have seen it coming. After all, we had already agreed there was no future for us, that our bond wouldn't be allowed to flourish."

It was his turn to squeeze his eyes shut. His own words repeated back to him, driving daggers into his heart. And there was more where those came from.

"You told me plainly there was nothing left to give me," she said and he opened his eyes. "That your late bondmate owned your heart and soul as long as you drew breath. So yes, I should have expected it. I should have seen it coming."

Her tightly shut eyes relaxed and slowly opened, staring blankly somewhere beyond Daemonikai's face. "But if you were going to tear my heart out, crush it to pieces, and hand the remains over to me, the least you could have done wastellme."

Heavens. "Emeriel—"

"If you were going to plunge a knife into my chest and drag the blade down to my belly, the least you could have done was give me a warning.” Her body began to tremble, each breath a shudder that seemed to shake her to the core.

"Two long years of misery. You would think when the bond went to sleep a year ago, it would end, wouldn't you? But no, the wounds kept spreading until every part of me was raw and scabbed, Your Grace. And they never healed."

Daemonikai groaned, anguish rolling through him like a dark storm. "I am sorry. I didn’t think it through at that moment. I thought setting you free was the best decision. I was hurting, Emeriel. Overwhelmed. I never meant to hurt you this way. Please believe me."

"I do. And that’s what hurts the most, you know." Her lips trembled with a bitter, hollow smile. "Because I see the sincere intention of an aggrieved man beneath it all. A male whose world came crashing down and forced to face the world again. I understand that."

Her head hit the tree behind her, the impact making a dull thud. "I only wish it helped with the pain.”

When her head made impact again, Daemonikai winced at the sound, knowing it had to hurt.

But she did it again, and again, as if trying to numb the pain inside by inflicting one on the outside.

"Stop.” Pinning her wrists above her head with one hand, the other slipped between the tree and her skull. “Don’t do that, please.”

“The pain buried me alive and built a house over my grave,” she whispered, not missing a beat. “I lost count of how many times I wished for death. I even tried to kill myself one time. To end it all.”

Daemonikai felt sick.“Ukrae’s soul.”

“I didn’t, obviously.” She finally blinked, but the blank, faraway look remained. “However, it took losing the best part of me to crawl out of my grave. I had to lose something so precious to claw my way back through those dark tunnels."

There were no tears in her eyes, only resignation.Acceptance.And it twisted his damn heart.

Her dry eyes and detached tone struck him the hardest.

Daemonikai would have preferred tears, even anger… something that suggested there was still hope.

"Please forgive me." His forehead fell on hers as he pressed his body closer to mold into her. "Give us a chance."

"And then what? We have no future, that much is as clear as day. I would never want you to forget your family because of me, but I won’t be a replacement for them, either." Her voice was hoarse, weary, yet firm. “Plus, you don’t feel anything for me."

"I do," he countered, his ill soul aching. “I—"

"Guilt, maybe. Pity, that too. But nothing more," she conceded flatly. "You didn’t know Emeriel enough to feel more, Your Grace."

Taking in a deep breath, she added, “You needn't be burdened by those emotions, I'm a big girl now. I’m not that fragile little girl anymore. I won’t cry over you, and I won’t ask for more. Idon’t wantmore."

She finally looked him in the eyes. “I merely wish for your soul to recover, for you to live a long, happy life, as best you can, despite everything that's happened."

“Hear me out,” Daemonikai groaned.

“I can’t do that. I don’t want to,” she said quietly as she straightened. "Now, would you please let me go? I beg of you."

He slowly released her, his hands falling limply to his sides.

Stepping back, she created a physical distance that mirrored the rift between them.

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