Page 81 of A Thieving Curse

Meredith hugged her and stroked her hair. “Shhhh. It’s all right. Breathe, Raelyn. Shhh.”

Raelyn gasped for air.It’s not all right.But she couldn’t get her throat to work.My brother is in danger, and it’s my fault. It’s not all right.

She buried her head in Meredith’s shoulder and held on to her arms. It took her awhile to stop crying. When she lifted her head, Jasper, Peter, and Lucas were standing behind Meredith, looking alarmed. Lucas had his new sword strapped to his side. Raelyn wiped her face with her sleeve.

“Looks good, Lucas.” Her voice croaked pathetically. She cleared her throat. “Very dashing.”

Lucas’s eyebrows pinched. “Are you all right?”

Raelyn nodded. She couldn’t tell them yet. She needed to save her energy to talk to Alex. To convince him to let her go. “So.” She sniffled and stood. “What’s her name?”

Lucas smiled bashfully. “Emmeline.”

Jasper shuffled his feet. “Rael—”

“I’m fine.” Raelyn swallowed and dusted off her skirt as Meredith stood. “Can we head back?”

Meredith and Peter exchanged a worried glance, but they agreed to leave town. Lucas talked about Emmeline as they walked. He gestured wildly as he relayed every detail of their small talk. His joy was infectious, and it distracted her from the ache in her chest.

Alex met them where they had parted.I need to explain clearly and calmly. I’ll wait until we’re back at the cave, so I don’t have to tell him in front of the others.He grinned as they approached, his tail flicking in a way that indicated happiness.Just keep it together a little longer.

Lucas ran forward and showed off his sword to Alex, who marveled appreciatively. Raelyn drew closer, and Alex looked past Lucas at her. She met his eyes—and immediately began to cry.

27

ALEX’S EYES WIDENED and his jaw dropped as tears streamed down Raelyn’s cheeks. “What happened?” He swept past Lucas and pulled her against his chest, holding her close.

Raelyn hiccupped through her tears. She wanted to embrace him back, to let him hold her. But she couldn’t. Sniffling, she slipped out of his arms. He clenched his teeth, worry lining his features.

“Gareth,” she tried to say, but no sound came out. A horrible vision of Gareth being forced down in front of an executioner flashed before her mind’s eye. She cried out and swayed as her knees trembled. Alex caught her and guided her to the ground.

“Raelyn?” He looked up at the others desperately. “What happened?” A threatening growl cut through his words, and his arms tightened around her.

“She won’t tell us,” Jasper said. He leaned against the cart, looking troubled. “Before we saw her go running past, we heard a trader had arrived late last night with news from the palace. We didn’t stay to find out what it was, but…”

Meredith knelt on Raelyn’s other side. “We caught up to her crying in a heap on the edge of the village. She won’t talk to us.”

Raelyn gulped down breaths. She had to calm down enough to explain. She had to beg him to let her go. Even though she didn’t want to marry someone who had threatened her brother’s life, even though she didn’t want to leave Alex. She cried against Alex’s chest. He rubbed her shoulders and leaned down, his breath brushing her ear.

“Please,” Alex whispered. “I don’t know what to do. What’s wrong?”

Tell him.She didn’t want it to be true, but if it was, she couldn’t abandon Gareth.But then you’ll be abandoning Alex,a voice warned.

“Raelyn?” Lucas fiddled with his sword belt and shuffled his feet. “Please talk to us.”

Raelyn inhaled slowly and pulled away from Alex. “The trader…” She felt strangled.

Alex brushed loose hair out of her face.

“Henry arrested Gareth.” Tears burned down Raelyn’s cheeks. “Henry is forcing my parents to provide another bride for Tristan or—or…” She shook violently and leaned forward, wrapping her arms around herself. “My parents are bringing my cousin, but she’s so young, and not trained, and she’s in love with someone else, and…they’re saying Tristan might not marry her, and there could be war. Gareth might…die.” Her voice cracked, and she rocked back and forth, her arms clutching her middle.

No one spoke. No one touched her. They all stayed frozen in place as her lungs seemed to close up. She dug her fingers into her sides and forced herself to speak, to articulate the thoughts tearing at her mind.

“Elena wasn’t trained for this and has no idea what she’s getting herself into. And that’s if the Carbreys accept her. If they don’t deem her good enough, the trader said they might kill Gareth.” She pressed the heels of her hands to her temples.

Meredith rubbed Raelyn’s back. For some reason, that made it worse. She didn’t need comfort. She needed to help her brother. Raelyn forced herself to look at Alexander’s pale face.You’re going to break his heart. But Gareth could lose his head.

Raelyn held Alex’s gaze. “I have to go.”

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