Page 56 of War of Her Heart

I gently ran my hand across her forehead as I said, “Violet.”

Her eyes shot open and met mine. Such a light sleeper. She didn’t say a word but scooted over to allow room for me to lie next to her.

I lay next to her, our faces only inches apart as we stared at each other in silence. I knew I needed to say something, but the words I wanted to say had slipped my mind as soon as I entered her room.

“You’ve been avoiding me,” she whispered, barely audible.

“I’m sorry. It’s just that everything I’ve said to you lately has seemed like the wrong thing.”

“I’m just scared, Calum,” she said as tears began to fall from her eyes.

I leaned forward and kissed them away before grabbing her in my arms and pulling her close to my chest.

She was right, the inevitable was coming. I would have to wed someone, but I wouldn’t let it happen. Not yet.

24

Chapter 24

Violet

The pastries filled the air with a fruity scent and intertwined with the faint scent of violets coming from the garden. That was the only enjoyable part of breakfast today.

I readied myself early this morning and rang for Yara well before she would have brought me breakfast. I wanted to eat with Bronwen. I shouldn’t spend the limited time I had here wasting it in my room. Even if we stayed in touch after I went home, it wouldn’t be the same as the days spent here with her, and in the years to come I didn’t want to regret my time here.

I wasn’t even sure if Bronwen sat down and ate a formal breakfast, or if she had other plans, but I had hoped, at least, that I could join her in whatever she was doing.

Instant regret.

She ate breakfast with Adar. Her brother. Hertwin.

I still didn’t understand it. Even if they weren’t fae like she said, and their actual appearance was hidden—for whatever reason that could be—it didn’t change their polar opposite personalities.

I didn’t know why she would choose to start her day with such darkness and gloom or how she managed to stay in high spirits after spending an hour with him.

I didn’t think I could.

We ate on the patio that overlooked the garden. I would’ve expected to be cold from the lack of sun rays and the cool breeze in the air, but it was refreshing.

“Have you had any luck finding it on the castle grounds?” Bronwen asked Adar while she plucked a grape from the assortment of fruits sitting in the middle of the table and inspected it between her fingers.

His eyes shot up and looked at me before bringing his focus to Bronwen.

“She knows about the object. We can speak freely in front of her,” she said, never looking up from the grape that seemed so interesting to her. “I trust her.”

Bronwen trusted me. How could she possibly trust me when I kept my relationship with Calum from her? And I was still keeping secrets from her. She didn’t know how I knew about the object, yet she didn’t care.

She trusted me.

“Well, good for you, sis. But I don’t,” Adar said as he slammed his fists on the table before he stormed off.

“I’m sorry about him.” Bronwen looked at me as she reached for my hand.

“Why does he hate me? He doesn’t know me.” I didn’t understand it. We hadn’t even had a conversation and yet he had already formed his opinion on me.

“He thinks he does. But don’t give him a second thought. He can go brood in his room alone. It shouldn’t damper your day.”

She was right. His anger seemed innate, and I just seemed to get the brunt of it.

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