Page 159 of Enchanted Kingdom
He turned to better look me in the eyes. “No. Not at all. I’ve always known, I just thought I owed it to Wylan to figure out a second plan.” He paused and gestured to the castle towering above us with his free hand. “Should you not want all this.” He squeezed my hand again. “Things will slow down. The Assemblage advisor is suggesting that we not cut to four each until spring despite our urging otherwise. But that would mean we have time to fix this. You have time to figure it out.”
“Figure what out?”
He took a deep breath, his blue eyes never straying from mine. “Time to figure out if you want me back. If you do, there might be strings attached in the form of crowns, yes. And if you don’t? Well then to hell with the Assemblages.”
That was a nice thought, but I didn’t really think he was that serious. “Your father will make you choose another,” I reminded him.
He shook his head. “No. I refuse. If it’s not you, it’s none of them.”
I hadn’t wanted to kiss him since the night I saw him with Gwen. This was the first time I’d even considered it.
As if seeing my internal struggle, he leaned in and brushed a kiss to my temple. “I didn’t wish to confuse you further. I only wanted to show you the cards within my hand.”
I could be Keir’s wife? A princess? A potential queen? At one point the thought would’ve had me so excited I would’ve felt like I was flying.
But now? Now the idea that the Assemblages could drag on until spring filled me with nothing but dread.
CHAPTER43
Owen and I waited on the path in the forest. It was time for another trip to Nerede. Krew had insisted we ride there and back with him in his carriage, thus there was no room for foul play.
I was still somewhat shocked we were going. I thought for sure after the attack in the forest Krew would have demanded we never go again.
But instead, here we were waiting for His Royal Bossiness.
I knew from the way the dark head approaching us was walking that it was Krew, long before I was able to make out the facial features that would’ve distinguished Krew from Keir.
But then I felt as if someone was watching me, and I spun to find Rafe off in the trees. Spying.
“Owen,” I hissed as I took a slow step forward.
“Don’t,” Owen snapped at a whisper as he turned toward me.
I ignored him as I slowly, cautiously, took step by step toward the wolf.
Ten feet off, I dropped down and sat on the ground. “Hey, pretty boy.”
Rafe looked at me, and I looked at him.
“You’re starting to look a little better, buddy. Not quite so scraggly.” That part was not just my complimenting him hoping to lure him in. The first time I had ever seen him, he looked almost sick, his rib bones way too easy to spot. Now his coat looked less chunky and shinier.
He took a step toward me, sniffing at the ground.
“I didn’t bring food this time you greedy, greedy boy,” I said lightly.
He kept slowly sniffing the ground and moving toward me where I sat.
“Thanks again for the other night,” I told him. “You have a beautiful family.”
His head perked up and his eyes locked on mine like he understood every word. He was so close now I could see the trees of the forest around us reflected in his bright brown eyes.
I opened my palm. “No magic, buddy. No food either. Just a hand, okay?”
“Jorah,” Krew snapped at a whisper. “Be careful.”
“No wonder you prefer your cave,” I told Rafe. “Less overprotective brutes there, huh?”
I slowly reached my hand toward him. If I wanted to, I could reach out and touch his fur, but I didn’t want to scare him off or ruin this newfound trust thing we had going on.
