Page 47 of Fortress of Ambrose
She cleared her throat but couldn’t lie this time. “I don’t know.”
“Would you like a book or something?” He patted his pockets. “I have this pamphlet I nabbed from the airport on aerodynamics that you might find distracting.” He handed it to her, and she couldn’t help but grin.
“Why on earth are you reading about nuclear fission?”
“Oh, I just needed a place to toss my gum.”
She laughed, and it felt like weeds being pruned from her soul.
“Seriously, if you are not fine, that’s—” He spread his fingers apart on the seat between them. “You’re allowed to not be okay.”
She studied his dark brown eyes as his gaze danced across her face, wondering what he was thinking.
She shook her head. There was no time for her not to be okay. Her being okay was the only way she was holding herself together, traveling with him, sitting so close while slowly dying inside of longing to be known by him completely. No secrets. No lies.
“You’re allowed to be scared.”
“This hurts me more than anything.” When she heard the words come out of her mouth, she pressed back in her seat, hoping he wasn’treallylistening. She’d been too honest.
“I don’t understand. You and your mother are close?”
All that Yagrin knew was that Ellery Ambrose had kidnapped their mother and Nore suspected he was going to try to kill her. She bit her lip. Then she opened her mouth and the truth fell out.
“I hate my mother. But I need her alive.”
Yagrin’s stare narrowed. “Go on.”
“When she dies, our House tradition orders that I am Headmistress. Irefuseto be Headmistress of a House that’s never wanted me. My brother wants the gig, and he intends to kill me to pull it off.” Her breath hitched.What was she doing?But by the Sovereign it feltgoodto finally speak the truth!
Yagrin leaned forward as if he was about to speak, only to turn and stare out the window again.
Her heart knocked into her ribs.
“You want the Scroll for yourself. To keep her alive.”
She was too far upstream in the truth to lie now. “Yes, Yagrin, I do.”
“You never intended for my brother to have it.”
“Did you?”
His jaw clenched.
“I’m sure you can understand what it’s like to walk in my shoes. Youhatethe Order and do anything you can to avoid it!” She bound her lips shut. She’d gone too far. She had to stop now, before his expression changed from confusion to heartbreak—that was a loss Nore couldn’t take.
Everything else had gone wrong,notas planned. The one thing thatwassort of going right was that she was near him. And despite the perpetual torture, there were moments of the sweetest delight. Like in the airport. And rummaging around Chateau Soleil. And puzzling out the roses. And listening to him try to compliment her intelligence. His jokes. His disdain for the Order was life-giving. She’d missed being so near it. In a way, Yagrin knew her in ways no one else did. He knew the persona she’d made up and the fugitive heir she was. He just didn’t know they were the same person.
“Say something, Yagrin. Please.”
The car stopped. A gate hidden in lush greenery towered ahead of them. Beyond it were rolling hills covered in vineyards. The window rolled down. Yagrin flashed his Dragun coin at a box protruding toward them, and the gate opened.
“You’ve never been here before either?” she asked. Resolving to focus on the task ahead, she slipped her fake diadem from her pocket and set it on her head.
“Never.” He didn’t look at her when he spoke, but she couldn’t focus on that. They were there for the last piece before she’d have to face her brother. If Yagrin was done helping her because she’d lied to him, she’d just have to find a way to finish on her own. She wasn’t a quitter.
“Begonia Terrace’s security is a known joke,” he added.
That didn’t bode well for the Scroll piece being securely held. Nore’s stomach was a knot. Beyond the gates, the sun hovered on a horizon of endless hills. The grounds were rich with color; flowers and overgrown vines covered every structure and lined every paved road. There were tucked-away courtyards rimmed in boxwoods and quaint stone cottages. In the distance were three separate houses, their facades almost entirely covered in foliage and flowers.
