Page 87 of Crown of Hearts
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
She only looked at me for a moment. If she was surprised, she made no effort to show it. The breeze ruffled her hair. She was so beautiful. Her eyes scolded me before she shifted her gaze back to the water, which rippled in the last of the sunlight.
“What are you doing here, Cai?”
“I came back for you.” The five simple words that meant nothing and everything all at once.
“You’ve got much to worry about in Norrandale. You should be there, on your throne.”
“No,” I replied, before taking a seat next to her on the ground. “I should be wherever you are.”
“Don’t,” she said, too quickly. “Just don’t.”
“Elara, please listen.”
“No, Cai. You listen.” She finally turned to face me. “I overheard you talking with Thatcher.”
“What do you mean?”
“You told him about where I come from and what kind of upbringing I had. At least now I know the real reason you waited so long to agree to the alliance.” Her expression was so full of hurt, and I hated that I was the cause of it.
“That’s not what it was about. I was trying to protect you, Lara. You have to believe me.”
“Like the time you were trying to ‘protect’ me by not telling me I was the heir to the throne?” Lara’s tone was cold, and it was as if I could physically feel the wall she had placed between us.
“It wasn’t my place,” I said. “No matter how much I wanted to.”
She looked away, refusing to meet my gaze.
“What do you think would have happened if I’d told you? First of all, you wouldn’t have believed me. And secondly, I thought back then that you wanted a different life, that you hated the monarchy. I believed that you wanted to leave that life and Everness behind to go and live somewhere else. And Ibelieved you would do it if given the chance, regardless of what you thought of me. So imagine my surprise when you showed up at the palace that day of the rebellion? And even more so when you decided to take the throne after Lance got imprisoned, or abdicated, whatever you want to call it.”
“I came for you because I cared, you idiot,” she cried out. “I came back because I couldn’t stand the thought of you dying.” Elara shook her head. “And when Lance told me the truth, yes, at first, I didn’t want to believe him. But I hoped that after everything we’d all been through, I might be able to do something good. I might be able to make a difference instead of just running away like I always do.” She sighed deeply. “But it looks like I just traded one cage for another, shinier, one.”
“You’re the only person that can put you in a cage, Elara.”
Her look told me that she didn’t quite believe me.
“Yes, this royal life comes with its limits and consequences. It’s a lot more responsibility than anyone is really willing to sign up for.” I placed my hand on top of hers. She didn’t move away like I had expected. “But it’s only terrible if you go through it alone.”
“Do you really think I’m a terrible queen? That I’m nothing more than a common girl with a crown?” Elara said, after a few moments of agonising silence.
“I think the world of you, Elara.” And it was the truth. “But being queen of Norrandale will bring so much more danger to your life.” The kind of danger she’d wanted to escape from when she was still a bandit. Elara had always wanted a simple life, but it no longer seemed like a possibility for either of us.
“The thing is, I don’t think I’m that afraid anymore.” She stared out to the water. “Or maybe I’m just too tired to be afraid.”
She finally looked back at me and then shook her head as if attempting to pull herself together. “We should start thinkingabout heading back. As much as I would like to, I can’t stay out here for ever.”
“How are things faring with the council? I can’t imagine they are very good if you sneaked out of the palace to be here alone.”
Elara shrugged. “I needed time to think. Besides, I’m not alone. Rhen and his guards have been keeping an eye on me.”
I sucked in a breath. “I thought we could make the announcement of our engagement.” Elara raised an eyebrow. “But once we do, Aries will do everything in his power to come after you too.”
“Is that why you came back here?”
“You’ve seen what Aries is capable of. He doesn’t care about rules or law or peace. And now that he knows about you and the possible alliance, Everness has also become Argon’s enemy. With all due respect to Rhen and the royal guard, I couldn’t leave you here to fend for yourself.”
“I’m a big girl, Cai,” she replied kindly, though her expression suggested understanding of my concern.
