Page 112 of A Kingdom's Heart
Still, I said nothing. My lips parted, but the words wouldn’t come. I could barely breathe. I just stared at him, feeling the pounding of my heart and the weight of the silence that followed.
His expression darkened. I saw it happen, how his control snapped. His hand came up before I could even move. The sound of the slap filled the room, sharp and final.
Pain bloomed across my cheek, bright and searing. My head turned with the force of it. For a moment, the world spun, and I tasted blood on my tongue. My eyes burned, but I refused to let the tears fall. I would not give him that.
He stood above me, chest heaving, his voice harsh and shaking. “You will do as you are told. You will marry the prince, and you will not speak another word of this foolishness.”
I met his gaze through the haze of pain, my chest rising and falling with every ragged breath. There were no words left. No pleas. Just the hollow ache of knowing that whatever love I had found was now in danger because of me.
“Leave,” he said at last.
I turned, my steps unsteady. The room spun as I reached for the door, my cheek throbbing with every heartbeat. When the heavy wood shut behind me, the echo followed me down the hall, chasing me like a shadow I couldn’t escape.
And for the first time, I truly understood what it meant to be powerless.
CHAPTER FORTY FIVE
IRIS/WILLIAM
IRIS
Dinner passed in a blur. I barely tasted the food on my plate. Around me, the hall was filled with noise. The nobles talked about the wedding, about how grand the ceremony would be and how strong the alliance would make our kingdoms. Their words ran together, meaningless and hollow.
My thoughts were somewhere else.
William.
I hadn’t seen him since this morning. Not during the day, not during the evening. I kept searching for him among the guards, hoping I would catch a glimpse of his face or hear his voice. Nothing. He was gone, and the distance was unbearable. The idea that this might be our last day together made my chest ache. Tomorrow, everything would change. I would stand beside a man I didn’t love, while the one I did might be forced to leave forever.
I tried to eat, but every bite turned heavy. My hands shook slightly as I lifted the fork, and my throat felt tight. I wanted the dinner to end. I wanted to run from the hall, from the voices, from the eyes that saw me only as a bride, not as a person.
When the nobles began speaking again, louder now, I quietly rose from my seat. My father didn’t look at me. Lorenzo didn’t either. That was fine. I didn’t want their attention.
I left the hall quickly. My footsteps echoed through the corridor. The air was cold and smelled faintly of smoke and candle wax. I walked faster, clutching the sides of my gown, my heart beating
faster with every step. I needed to see him. I needed to find him.
The thought repeated in my head, over and over. If I didn’t see him tonight, I might never get the chance again. The fear of that thought made my eyes sting.
By the time I reached my bedchamber, my breath came quick and shallow. I closed the door behind me and leaned against it for a moment, trying to calm my racing heart. The room was quiet. Too quiet. Only the soft rustle of the curtains moved in the still air.
I turned toward the balcony. My hands were trembling when I reached for the curtain.
And then I saw them.
Roses. White and pink. A trail of them scattered across the floor, shining faintly under the light of the moon.
My breath caught in my throat.
Without thinking, I grabbed my shawl and hurried toward the balcony. My heart felt alive again, wild and trembling with hope. I didn’t care what waited beyond those doors. I just needed to see
him.
The moment my feet touched the ground, I didn’t walk. I ran.
The night air was cool and sharp against my face, but I didn’t care. My heart pounded so hard it filled my ears, drowning out the sound of the waves and the wind. I ran faster, following the faint light of the moon across the grass until I saw him.
William.
