Page 156 of The Forgotten Queen
“I love him.” She shrugged. “I love him.”
“How could you possibly—”
“You said at the execution that you trust my judgment.”
“I do, but you’re very fragile right now, and I don’t think—”
“I’m not fragile,” she said, standing her ground. “I’ve actually never been stronger.” She knew exactly who she wanted to be and who she wanted to spend her life with. She’d never had this much clarity, even before she’d been shot. “I’m going after him,” she said, turning on her heels.
Her father followed behind her. “Now?”
“Yes.”
“But you just got home. Why don’t you wait a few months? See how you feel then.”
She stopped walking, turning to face her father. “I know this is hard for you. You just got me back, but you aren’t losing me again. You’re setting me free.”
Tears fell from his kind brown eyes. “Are you sure this is what you want?”
She nodded.
“Then I won’t stand in your way.”
Seran smiled, hugging her father close. “Thank you. Thank you for trusting me and letting me choose the life that I want.”
He patted her back. “I always knew you were meant to be a queen. I just never knew it would be in Cristole.”
55
Marx
Marx had only traveled a few hours before they decided to rest for the night. They stopped at the nearest inn, somewhere in the middle of New Hope. He didn’t know the name of the province they were in, and he didn’t even care. All he wanted to do was get back to Cristole as soon as he could and bury himself in his work as king.
That’s all he had left.
“We’ve secured a bunch of rooms,” Kase said, flipping him a key.
Marx smiled at his friend and sister. “You two had better be in separate ones.”
Kase feigned like he was insulted. “Come on, man. Don’t you know me?”
He gave his friend a smile. “Idoknow you. That’s why I said something.”
Dannyn rolled her eyes as she walked past them. “Don’t worry. Everyone has their own room.”
Kase playfully raised his eyebrows as he followed after Dannyn. “That doesn’t mean I can’t tuck her in.”
Marx watched them. He was happy for his sister—glad that she wasn’t alone. His own loneliness was so intense, he felt like he couldn’t breathe.
He reached down for his bag and followed after them. A guard held the door open for him, and he stepped inside the lobby. The room was full of people eating dinner and relaxing as they listened to live music.
The innkeeper bowed in front of him. “Your Majesty, it’s an honor to have you stay here with us. I hope you find everything to your liking.”
“We will,” Kase said as he chased Dannyn up the stairs.
“Thank you,” Marx said to the innkeeper. He looked down at his key, trying to see what his room number was. He took a step forward.
“Why did you leave?” a familiar voice behind him halted his steps. His heart stopped, and he pulled in a breath, preparing himself for the moment when he would turn around and realize that he’d imagined her because there was no way she could really be there.
