Page 49 of A Kingdom's Heart
When I looked up, really looked at him, my breath caught. The firelight flickered against his armor, catching in the lines of his shoulders and the curve of his jaw beneath the helm. His presence filled the room in a quiet way, steady and certain.
And all I could think about was the lie between us.
He had been nothing but kind. Patient. Trusting. And I had met that with half-truths and fear.
The thought stung.
I set the loaf down on the counter and drew a slow breath. “William,” I said, barely above a whisper.
He turned slightly toward me. “Yes?”
My throat tightened. “I—I um…”
The words refused to come. My heart began to pound harder, each beat loud enough that I was sure he could hear it. My palms felt damp. I tried again, but my voice faltered, caught somewhere between my chest and my throat.
He tilted his head. “Elara?”
I couldn’t do it. Not here. Not like this. The truth felt too heavy, too dangerous. I could already see the look that might cross his face once he knew who I really was. A knight’s loyalty belonged
to the crown, and the crown was my father.
I looked down at my hands, my breath unsteady. “Um… nothing,” I said quietly. “It’s nothing.”
He watched me for a moment, and though I couldn’t see his expression beneath the helm, I felt the weight of his gaze. Then he gave a short nod. “Alright.”
The tension settled again, softer now but still charged with everything left unsaid. I picked up the loaf, pretending to eat, even though my stomach had knotted tight.
Tomorrow, I told myself. I’ll tell him tomorrow. He deserves to know.
But even as I whispered it in my head, I wasn’t sure I would.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
IRIS
And I was right.
It had been twelve days, and I still hadn’t said a word.
We had met in secret whenever we could. At the riverbank. Beneath the same tall tree with the two swings that swayed in the wind. We talked. We laughed. We readThe Song of the Willow Brideuntil I knew every word by heart. Each time, I told myself I would tell him the truth. Each time, my courage slipped away before I could.
But today would be different. It had to be.
The air was soft and warm. I wore a pale pink dress with short sleeves and white lace tied across the front. The skirt brushed my knees when I moved. A white headband kept my hair back, though a few strands had already escaped.
I sat on one of the branches of the swing tree, just above where the ropes hung. The bark pressed cool against my legs as I waited, looking out toward the river. The water caught the light, moving slow and silver beneath the morning sun.
We hadn’t planned to meet today. But some part of me hoped he would still come.
The forest was quiet, save for the usual sound of the river and the faint creak of the old rope below me.
Suddenly, the air changed. Footsteps approached.
I turned.
William stepped through the trees, sunlight falling across his shoulders as if it had been waiting for him. He was wearing a black blouse, the fabric loose at his collar and fitted close across his chest. When he moved, the fabric pulled faintly over his biceps, tracing the shape of muscle beneath.
My breath caught before I could stop it.
