Page 46 of One True Love (Love Mark 1)

“Something like that,” I murmured, taking a seat among them and picking up a twig on the ground lying between my feet so I could break it in half and toss it into the flames.

“Well, we were about to head off toward the tavern for some ale and women, if you wanted to join us.”

I glanced up. The ale would be welcome, but the women… I found myself shaking my head before I’d even thought my answer through. Tavern life didn’t feel like the place I belonged either.

“Maybe some other night,” I said, not really meaning it. A part of me knew I’d never go back to wenching and drinking with the guys again.

They ribbed me a little for bowing out, then stood and went on their way to get drunk in the arms of strangers they’d probably forget by morning.

I sighed and glanced up at the stars.

Was this my future, then? Not feeling as if I fit anywhere?

Pushing to my feet, I kicked at the fire until it was nothing but embers, and I returned to the keep, where I dragged myself up to my room. Alone.

Vienne had been in her usual seat tonight, two chairs down from the king’s right. She hadn’t seemed as if she had much of anyone to talk to either. The queen had been milling throughout the crowds, mingling with anyone willing to pay her attention, and Soren had been huddled up with a group of council-looking men, discussing who-knew-what.

I ached to just go sit by her and ask her about her day. She had rubbed her stomach a lot throughout the evening, more so than usual. And her face looked slightly swollen. I swear, she winced in pain once. I wondered if anyone had asked her if she was feeling okay.

If she didn’t feel well, I hoped she turned in early too, just as I was doing, and took care of herself. She needed the repose since she ha

dn’t been taking her morning naps in the East Salon since the castle had turned to wedding preparations. I didn’t want her falling ill due to exhaustion.

When I entered my own room, I stripped from my meal attire and put on something comfortable to lounge in but more than I typically slept in. For some reason, I thought Allera might visit, maybe share some pre-wedding jitters with me or maybe just talk about her first husband. I flopped onto my back on my bed and stared up at the ceiling of my room, waiting. With the back of my wrist covering my brow, I remembered back to the days at High Cliff, right after she’d first met Jazon.

We’d been quite a team, the three of us, scouring the countryside as if it were our own personal domain. When Jazon and I had gone off to war, I should’ve known everything would change. But like some kind of damned ignorant fool, I hadn’t even had a clue.

When I slipped off to sleep, it wasn’t any wonder that I dreamed about him, remembering the night he died. I was still clutching his shirtfront, begging him to stay alive when I was ripped from my dream by an intense heat slashing across my abdomen.

I jerked awake, sitting upright with a gasp. Sweat rained down my brow and coated my face, soaking the tunic I was wearing. I had no idea what time it was, but it felt late, like the middle of the night. There was no muffled music coming from below, which meant the wedding eve celebration had definitely died down.

Patting my belly, I frowned at my abdomen in confusion when I realized nothing was wrong with it, only for white hot coals of pain to spear through me again, immediately followed by a painful gong of awareness through my temple, right where my mark tingled.

“Oh God, no!” I gasped, finally realizing what was happening.

Vienne.

She was in pain.

Great pain.

Without thinking, I flew out of bed and dashed toward the door. I was halfway down the hall before I stopped myself and decided I couldn’t go to her in the middle of the night by myself. I had to… I just needed a reason to…

Allera! That was it.

Backtracking to my sister’s room, I pounded on her door before barging inside.

She groaned and started to sit up in bed. “Urban? Wha…?”

“Something’s wrong,” I said, grabbing her arm and manually pulling her off the mattress.

“W…what?” she squawked, tripping after me and grabbing my arm to balance herself. Finally, she woke enough to ask, “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

I shook my head. “It’s not me. It’s her. Something’s wrong with her. I can feel it through the mark.” I pulled her from the room and started leading her down the hall. “You need to go make sure she’s okay.”

“What? Urban!” We’d just left our wing of the castle when she finally woke enough to dig her heels in, forcing me to stop. “Don’t be crazy. It’s the middle of the damn night. I’m getting married in the morning. I can’t just knock on her door right now and ask… I wouldn’t even know what to ask!”

“Are you okay?” I supplied for her before nodding insistently as I dragged her up a staircase toward Vienne’s room. “And, yes, you can. All you have to do is ask if she’s okay. Simple as that. Blame it on a strange dream you had or something. I don’t fucking care. But we’re checking on her. Right now.”

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