Page 76 of Enchanted Kingdom
“Jorah,” he hissed from behind me. “I’m sorry. Truly. Tell me about yesterday.”
“No,” I snapped. I was trying to outpace him but that was just pointless because he was a lot taller than I was and in better shape, so he was keeping up just fine.
“Why not?”
We were on the last sets of stairs up to my room now. “Because I don’t trust you enough to carry this burden with me!”
He stopped a moment. As if wounded. “I... I’m sorry.”
I spun and looked at him. “You tattle on me to the princes at every turn, every time I am even remotely moody, yet you wish for me to share my every thought, even though you do nothing but keep things from me.”
He looked down.
“That’s what I thought.” I spun and made it to my room in record speed.
* * *
I decidedto stay in my gown and had Silvia go, telling her that Keir was probably stopping by. She had figured out it’d been happening and had been beside herself that he’d seen me in pajamas. I thought it was endearing that Keir didn’t need to see me in gowns, he accepted me even in pajamas.
Keir arrived not long after she’d left.
I was sitting at my spot in the chair by the window as he came in. “You didn’t ask if I was decent.”
He gave his head a shake as if realizing I was right. He looked me head to toe, “You are. Regrettably.”
I hadn’t wanted to smile all evening like I did in that moment.
His chest heaved and I saw his magic traveling through his veins. “May I please hug you? Or if you’d rather not be touched at all right now that’s fine too—”
“Please do.”
He was there in an instant, wrapping his arms around me. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry my father is cold-blooded and cruel. I’m sorry you were having a bad day and that made it worse.” He stopped for a moment. “And I’m sorry that asshat laid his hands on you again, even if not to bruise this time around.”
A lone tear slipped down my cheek.
He wiped it away with a finger. “I’m so sorry, Jorah.”
I sighed. “I know.”
Everything was out of control and happening at once. It felt like his arms around me were the only things keeping me from shattering entirely.
“Do you wish to just go home?” Keir asked me quietly as he pulled back slightly to look me in the eyes. “I don’t want you to go. Even remotely. But if you cannot handle this anymore, then I will let you leave.”
I was stunned. He cared about me enough to just let me walk out of here? Even if he didn’t want me to go?
“Jorah?” he asked while I continued thinking about it.
What did I want? Did I want to go home? Did I want to go back to the bakery and always look over my shoulder for the king or the royal guard?What did I want?
After the last twenty-four hours, all I wanted was Keir safe.
I wiped at my eyes. “Not yet, I don’t.”
He let out a breath as if relieved.
“Keir...” I didn’t even know how to approach this topic. How to tell him that his brother was not who he thought he was. How to tell him that I was pretty sure he was in danger.
“Tell me everything running through that beautiful head. Just talk to me.”
