Page 100 of Heart's Escape

“That’s good,” he says, although his expression doesn’t entirely match his words.

I sigh. Was Balmyr really the best I could do, back in the palace? I cross my arms over my chest and stare at him. I still have no idea what Balmyr looks like under that gorgeous illusion, but the edges of his cloak are ragged and there’s mud on his boots.

“You came all this way to see if I was still pregnant?” I ask.

Balmyr gives me an apologetic smile. “My dear Alindra,” he says. “I came all this way because you’ve cursed me.”

I raise an eyebrow. His smile widens, and the scent of illusion magic thickens as he steps closer to me. His hand flashes between us again, tracing another burning line down the back of my arm.

“Because I can’t stop thinking about you,” he says, lowering his voice. “Your smell. Your taste. Everything I see reminds me of you.”

I pull away again, sliding against the canvas wall until my legs hit the frame of my little bed.

“What do you want?” I ask, and only once the words are out of my mouth do I realize what a stupid question that is. Because it’s perfectly clear what Balmyr wants right now.

But he smiles anyway, like he’s just been waiting for me to say those words.

“I want you,” he purrs, running those smoldering eyes over me. “Alindra, I swear to you, give me another chance and I’ll make you the happiest woman in all the kingdoms.”

My eyes dart to the box holding my cooking supplies and my knife. It’s just past Balmyr’s thighs.

“I’m not going back to the Kingdom of the Summer,” I say.

Balmyr makes a sound like a laugh, as though I’ve just said something absurd. “Why would we?” he replies. “Let’s just enjoy each other for a while. I’ll take you anywhere you want to go, sweet Alindra. I’ll buy you anything you want to have!”

He leans back, then sweeps his hand across the inside of my little tent. “You don’t have to live like this,” he says. “I could treat you like a queen!”

He gives me another one of those wide, beautiful smiles, and I realize my mouth is hanging wide open. I close it with a frown.

Buy me anything I want? Not live like this? Does he have any idea what I went through to get here, into a place of my own in a kingdom where I can be certain my child won’t be taken from me no matter what their magic turns out to be?

No. Of course he doesn’t. Balmyr has no idea where I’ve been or what I want. How would he? We’ve hardly even spoken, and all the conversations we did have were either about him teaching me how to shoot with a longbow or me listening rapturously to tales of his glorious exploits. He doesn’t know the first thing about me. Besides—

“You never told me you were married,” I say.

Balmyr shrugs, like conveniently forgetting you have a wife and three children is the kind of mistake that could happen to anyone.

“We were going through a difficult time when I met you,” he says. “I knew the marriage was ending. I was practically single, after all. I didn’t want to burden you with all those complications.”

“But you did tell me,” I continue. The canvas wall of my tent is cold against my shoulder blades. “When I found out I’m pregnant. That’s when you told me you’re married, and that you have three kids to take care of already. And you also said I couldn’t be certain who the father was.”

Balmyr shrugs again. His smile is just as handsome, but all the same, something about it seems off. “It doesn’t matter who the father is,” he says.

He steps closer to me, and once again, I slide away, my dress slipping along the canvas as my legs press into my bed frame. His smile tightens.

“You have to understand,” Balmyr says. “This has been such a difficult time for me, these past few months. With you gone—”

“Difficult for you?” I snap.

Stars above, I’m the one who faced Rensivar! Balmyr lunges forward and grabs my wrist. I try to pull away, but his grip tightens.

“Alindra,” he growls, meeting my gaze with the sort of intensity I used to dream about. “Listen to me. I need you.”

“Need me?” I gasp.

I twist toward the bed, but Balmyr tugs my body into his. His heat, and the scent of his illusions, swallow me whole.

“Come on, I need this,” he rasps again, his voice thick against my ear. “I need you, damn it!”

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