Page 285 of Kingdoms of Night

Using his other hand, the count continued. “You broke your vows. You broke your promises to me. Who are we if we can’t abide by our vows?”

They stood at an impasse. But he saw it. He saw a light of understanding in the crease of her eyelids. Unfortunately, it was too little too late.

“You do know that what I did for Nia I would do for you. In a heartbeat. If you died and went to hell—or heaven—or whatever, I’d come for you.”

Geraint stared at her. Loren held his stare unwaveringly.

“I believe that,” he said.

And he did. He knew that she would risk her life for him if ever it came down to it. And he would do the same for her. It was still his duty as a knight.

Hope sparked in her blue eyes.

“It’s just everything else that comes out of your mouth that I don’t trust.”

And with that, he turned on his heel and continued up to his rooms. This time, Loren did not follow.

CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE

Enid stepped off the grounds of Camelot. The grass of the human town itched at her bare feet. The soil was more dry dirt and dust than anything. The plants around her pulled at her nutrients, so starved were they for sustenance. She had to watch where she stepped a toe or sat a heel due to the refuse left behind by the people.

This place was nothing like the rich soils of Camelot. There was no magic, of course. But there also was hardly any water. Even the sun was muted in the skies, offering no direct rays of light. Clouds formed, but no rain fell.

She couldn’t blame the foliage for reaching out to her. But she couldn’t give them part of her. She needed all her strength for what she must do.

Finding the lushest patch of earth which amounted to a grassy knoll at the top of the hill, she dug her toes into the ground. Still, it was enough of a connection for what she had to do. Although it wasn't what she wanted to do.

She'd much rather have joined Igraine in the kitchens as she heated meats and mixed in fragrant spices. She'd much rather walk the halls of Tintagel Castle with Gwin as she told Enid more tales about the history of its people. She'd much rather have stayed in the gardens with Morgan and shown her how her kind worked, so that another being in her new home might understand her better. She'd much rather have gone back to her rooms and be in her husband's arms.

But like a weed, she knew that if she didn't tend to this problem, it would spread all over the grounds of Camelot, stealing nutrients and sustenance from other innocents. It was possible her father would even steal the riches of the people she was slowly letting her guard down with and getting to know. He would definitely steal the peace she’d come to find in the soil.

Enid didn't want to subject the people or the land to her father. They weren't built to play his games. So she dug her feet deeper into the dry soil and reached out.

Almost instantly, she felt a tug. Gnarled roots sprang from the ground. Thorns dug into her flesh as her father's reach held her still.

A branch of the tree grew outward. At the tip of the limb, a bud protruded. It blossomed, and a stamen opened its eyes to reveal a semblance of her father's face.

"There you are, my dear daughter."

Her father's voice was jovial, but she knew she wasn't a dear thing to him. Why else would he hold her still with thorns? He wanted something.

Enid knew the best thing to do was nothing. Don’t speak. Don’t move. Don’t even blink. That way, there was nothing he could take from her. But when she stared into the petal form of her father’s face, she realized something that had never happened before.

He couldn’t touch her.

“What do you want?”

Her sharp words caused a ruffle of the branch’s leaves. The foliage quickly settled.

“Can’t a father simply want to check in on his daughter? You never call. You never write.”

“What do you want?” Enid repeated the words slowly. There was a thorn in her side, but she ignored that, not showing any hint of pain. She just wanted to get this over with so that she could get back to her new life.

“I want to see you.”

“You see me now.”

“I’d like to know that my daughter is doing well in her new home.”

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