Page 23 of Enchanted Heir
Deciding I’d rather know what I was dealing with, I shut the book and put it on the nightstand next to me. Which was disappointing–I had just gotten to a battle scene I’d been looking forward to.
Recognizing Keir’s handwriting, I felt the tears spring into action. How many times had his letters given me butterflies and thrilled me? None of those feelings remained. Just an uneasiness blanketing over me in its place. A love that could have been great but withered away faster than the leaves had fallen.
I took a deep breath and began reading.
Jorah,
Being around you is hard. I don’t know how to do this without you. My wing seems empty and lifeless without your presence. But today I saw how excited you were in the forest. And it made me realize I hadn’t seen you that happy in a while. I hadn’t heard your laugh in far too long.
I have only myself to blame for that. I know because of the way things ended you wondered if I’d force you into becoming queen against your will. And that, among others, is something I will never forgive myself for. That is the thing I regret the most. That I would give you that suspicion.
I wouldn’t have. I would have wanted you to be my queen with every beat of my heart, but I would have let you choose it. I understand now I never gave you a reason to believe that of me.
I am sorry, Jorah. I am sorry I let my own plans and schemes for the future ruin us. And though I miss you more than I can express in a letter, I am faced now with the right decision. The decision I should have made weeks ago that isn’t any easier today than it would have been then. I love you, Jorah Demir. But because I love you, I will love you enough to let you go.
Go. Be in the forest. Enjoy the castle. Be happy. That’s all I truly ever wanted for you anyway.
All my love,
Keir
A tear ran off my face and onto the parchment. That had not been what I was expecting. It’d been... nice? I wasn’t sure he wasn’t still trying to manipulate me into forgiving him, but he was at least saying all the right things. Whether or not he truly meant them was unclear.
I sat staring at the letter, the words before me blurring, when Krew walked back in. I startled, wiping at my eyes and placing the letter on the nightstand next to the book.
“So we are doing this?” I offered, trying not to peek at his back or his collar bone as he walked around to the empty side of the bed sans shirt.
“It appears so,” he grumbled. “And I’d sleep in a shirt, but anyone who knows me knows that I never do. It would be out of the norm.”
I shrugged as I reached to turn out the light. “It’s fine, Krew.”
He put two pillows under the blankets between us as a barrier. “Here is your requested barrier. And do not worry. I do not wish to form any real attachments any more than you wish to become queen.”
What was his problem? “Uh, thank you?”
“Goodnight, Jorah,” he said as he turned his scarred back toward me. As if that was that.
I was just supposed to sleep after that? One brother was letting me go. The other was sleeping with me but wanting to avoid “attachments.” He really must not like me being in his space. I vowed the following day I would spend some time in the forest and the kitchens, trying to stay out of his way.
* * *
“Tiny!”Maurice exclaimed. “To what do we owe the pleasure?”
I smirked. “I owe Owen some cookies. So I came to see when would be a good time to borrow a counter in your kitchen.”
Maurice gave me a nod. “Let Tilly finish getting the bread dough ready to rise, and then you may have the far counter while it rises.”
“Thanks, Chef.”
He gave me a wink. “Any time.”
While we waited, Owen and I walked out to the lake to check the progress on the new spot by the tree, but it was unchanged. I wanted to stomp around and be mad, but I couldn’t. The last time it had taken a while for the bloom to happen. Maybe the ground needed to heal first or something.
“Get some sleep last night?” Owen asked as we headed back toward the castle.
“No.” I groaned. “I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to sleeping next to Krew.”
“I’m sure it won’t be forever,” Owen offered with a smirk.
