Page 167 of Swords of Soul and Shadow
Hallie felt Kase’s eyes on the side of her face again. “I like that story.”
“Me too.” It had made her believe, if only for a short while, that fairytale romance could exist in real life, too.
It was a relief when he finally looked back at the dancers. He tore off a chunk of bread and ate it. He leaned forward, forearms resting atop his knees. “Not many people know my parents were a love match, which is rare in our circles. Most are married for political or financial gains. Marriage is a contract.”
Hallie’s brows shot up. The second part didn’t surprise her—Petra had been the intended victim of an arranged marriage—but how had someone as kind as Lady Les ended up with Harlan Shackley? Chosen him, even? “So what happened to make the Stradat Lord Kapitan…”
She waved her hand in the air instead of finishing the sentence. It didn’t feel right for her to speak openly about the abuse, not without his permission or knowing who might be listening.
Kase shrugged, the fairy lights twinkling like stars in his pupils. “Not sure how he ended up being such a blastedhelviter, but they met through my uncle. Mother told the story all the time when we were little because Ana would beg her. Time’s blurred the details, and my sister stopped asking when she found out she’d be marrying for the good of the country.”
The food weighed heavily in Hallie’s stomach. Here she was wallowing in her own self-pity when Kase had lived a life of so little choice. Who was Hallie to judge him when she’d had the world at her feet without even realizing it?
Someone else had written Kase’s future while she’d been able to choose her own—at least for a little while. No wonder he had a temper. She’d only recently had choice robbed from her, and look how angry she’d already become.
She shifted a little, the rocky ground uncomfortable. “So, Jove and Clara?”
“Clara’s father is the Shield Marshal of southern Jayde, and she can trace her family’s roots back to General Samuel McKenzie. The betrothal contract was drawn up when Jove was sixteen, when they met for the first time. Clara’s a year younger, but the arrangement ended up working out quite well for them. He even went out of the way to propose when she turned eighteen as if it wasn’t all prearranged. He married for loveandpolitical reasons.” Kase rolled his eyes. “Always been lucky.”
Hallie wanted to ask about Kase, but wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer. The Stradat Lord Kapitan had made it very clear at the estate dinner that Hallie wasn’t worthy of his son. She never would be.
Wouldn’t it be better to know the truth? Wasn’t that what she’d learned with the Lavinia situation—or at least what she was trying to learn?
She picked at a fingernail. “What about you?”
She hoped the music and chatter from the others covered the fact that she didn’t sound as nonchalant as she’d intended.
Kase took a little bit to respond. He tore the rest of his bread into pieces and tossed them into the bowl.
Blasted emotions. She’d pushed too far. It was none of her business. “You don’t owe me an answer. I’m sorry. I just…”
Just what? Just wanted to know whether he believed the same as his father? That he wished he could’ve married Lavinia? That he regretted the last few months?
Kase shook his head. “If anyone deserves that answer, you do. My marriagewasmeant to be political, but…well, you heard the Stradat Lord Kapitan. I wasn’t signed away at sixteen because he believed I needed to mature a little first.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Mother says she just wants me to be happy, even if she keeps dropping heavy-handed hints about grandchildren…” He coughed, blushing a little. “But Jove seems to have that covered.
“Up until now, I simply wanted to live my life and forget whatever societal obligations my family believes I have. But if I found…someone…who wouldn’t mind spending an entire day discussing books, politics, or anything at all, I could see myself married.” He twisted the ring around his finger. Ana’s ring. After a long, hesitant pause, he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. “You?”
Hallie weighed her answer. While hiking through the Narden Pass, they’d had a similar conversation about Niels being the one she’d been supposed to marry, but that had been different. Nothing had happened with Kase other than a few near-kisses. The conversation now was vastly different, and with the added pressure of their earlier fight, she didn’t know how to respond. So much had happened. They were no longer dancing around one another, unsure of the other’s feelings.
So she simply averted her eyes. “Not sure if it’s an option now, with everything.”
The music shifted to something slower, giving the dancers a little reprieve. Her father smiled before settling a hand on her mother’s waist. Hallie caught her mother’s eye roll, but her father merely chuckled and pulled her closer. Hallie chewed on her lip. Her parents were opposites in many ways, but they’dmade it work. They complemented one another. It was nice—a perfect love story.
“Want to dance?” Kase asked softly.
She turned slightly. His earnest eyes sparkled in the light from the fire. He looked positively striking, laced with the golden light, the magical forest canopy twinkling above him. Her heart thumped painfully. She wanted to say yes so badly, but all she could think about was their fight earlier and the future they would never have, no matter if Hallie were a queen or a pauper. Even if his father decided to allow Hallie into Kase’s life, she wasn’t sure what the future held with the war and the need to combine Essence powers into the swords. He knew that. He knew they couldn’t be anything more, because that would only lead to heartbreak.
“I don’t know, Kase.”
He waited a moment before digging into his pocket and pulled out a slightly flattened piece of candy wrapped in what used to be shiny blue paper. He held it out to Hallie. She raised an eyebrow. A caramel.
“I’ve been saving it for you.”
She eyed it. Had he sat on it? “How long?”
Kase cocked his head and looked up, putting on a show of thinking about it. Playfulness tinged his tone when he said, “Oh, it’s just the last one in the bag I picked up in Nar.”
“Am I really supposed to believe you ate the rest of the bag all by yourself only to save the final one for me on the odd chance I returned to Kyvena?” Hallie relaxed a little at their banter. That was comfortable. That was safe.
