Page 74 of Rise of the Vicious Princess

He sank to his knees, his hand still outstretched, and whispered, “I saw you, Charis. I saw you lose control in front of Thorsby with the teacup. Saw you fight off tears, and there is nothing that would make you lose your composure like that if you weren’t already drowning. And I’m the fool who should have tossed you a lifeline when I first heard you cry yourself to sleep. When I noticed that you were cutting up your food but not eating it. When I saw the light go out of your eyes.”

The wind rustled through the oak trees and tugged at Tal’s hair. “I needed time to figure out why you kept it from me. And then to figure out that you telling me I would move on when we were on our first boat outing was really you stepping back so that you wouldn’t hurt me. And now that I see you clearly, I also see myself, and I am so sorry for failing you. Please, forgive me.”

A tremble shook her, and she slowly reached out to take his hand. His fingers closed over hers, and it felt like safety. Like a warm hearth after being out in a winter storm.

A light—warm and golden—flared to life in her heart, and the loneliness shrank a little.

He bowed his head and let his forehead come to rest against her stomach. She placed her other hand on the top of his head and felt him shiver.

“You’re freezing.” She looked at him properly for the first time. “For seers’ sakes, Tal, you’re wearing nothing but pajamas.”

“You were gone. I couldn’t afford to waste time changing my clothes.”

She knelt in front of him, and he locked eyes with her. “I forgive you, but really I think we need to forgive each other. I made my own mistakes, and I’ll make more. I don’t really know how to be . . .” She searched for the right word.

“Vulnerable,” he finished for her. “Of course you don’t. Your guard has to be up most of the time. You have enemies within your court and without. And your mother inspires many things, but vulnerability doesn’t make the list.”

“I’m sorry for scaring you tonight.”

He leaned forward, gathered her close, and held her. “Please don’t ever do that again.”

She froze for an instant. Only Father and Nalani ever hugged her, but this didn’t feel the same at all. It was warm and cozy, and intimate in a way that made her feel comforted and exposed at the same time. Slowly, she wrapped her arms around him and leaned her head against his shoulder. He laid his cheek on the top of her head and sighed.

“I have wanted to do this since I saw you stay to talk to every single refugee in that camp. I knew you could be fierce and terrifying. I knew you were smart and capable. But that was the day I learned that you are incredibly compassionate. You gave everything you had to those people, and no one gave anything back to you.”

“No one needs to give anything to me.”

“Yes, they do.” He rubbed small circles against her back. “That’s what people do for each other when they care.”

She was silent for a few moments and found herself relaxing into his embrace. He smelled like mint and black tea and a hint of soap. She snuggled closer and pressed her nose against his neck. He sucked in a little breath and said, “I’m going to let go of you now, but not because I want to.”

“Then why let go at all?”

He laughed. “Because if I don’t let go of you now, I am going to do more than hug you, and I don’t think that’s what either of us needs tonight.”

Her breath caught in her throat, and something warm and delicious swirled through her veins, but when he released her, she scooted back to give them space.

“You never answered my question,” she said. “How did you find me?”

“I came to my senses before you left, actually. I was in my room working up the courage to come out, wake you up, and apologize properly when I heard you go out onto the balcony. I got out there in time to see you cross the courtyard.” He shivered again. “I figured out you’d climbed down the thesserin tree, but by then, you were long gone. It’s lucky I remembered you telling me about this bluff. I’d already checked the stables and the armory.”

“We need to go back. You need to warm up.”

He smiled. “I’m glad we’re still friends, Charis. I’ve missed you.”

“I missed you too. But I’ll understand if you change your mind about friendship once the Montevallian prince moves in.”

He tucked an errant curl behind her ear. “How about if we figure that out when it actually happens?”

“I can agree to that. Ready?”

He glanced past her shoulder at the sea and paused.

“Tal? It’s getting late. We should—”

“Lights.”

“I beg your pardon?”

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