Page 117 of The Night Prince

“Aye.” He smiles softly. “I have thought a thousand times of what would have happened if I’d not stopped in that spot, bythe loch, on our way there—if I’d not left you alone that morning. I should have held onto you tightly, ridden with you until you were safe in my castle, never let you go. It’s the most foolish thing I have ever done, and yet, that night, with you, in the tent when you called me handsome—”

“I called you beautiful.”

He grins, eyes shining. “It was the best night of my life.”

My throat tightens. His face, full of emotion... it’s like looking at the sun. I have to look away. “It was for me, too, Callum.” I shake my head. “This bond, you speak of it as if there is no choice... as if I have no choice. There is always a choice.”

“You still believe that?”

“You still do not?”

He shrugs a big shoulder. “You cannot choose if you are not free. You are tethered to him, whether we like it or not. TheAnam-Cridechis unbreakable, created byGhealachherself. I don’t understand it, but for whatever reason, she has decided you and Blake are—”

“Don’t,” I say. “You’re wrong. It’s my choice. I’m going to break the bond. If the moon’s power created it, then the moon’s power can destroy it, too.”

“I have prayed to her every night. I prayed for her to give you to me. She has not answered.”

“My heart, my body, my soul—I’m the only one who gets to decide who to give them to.”

Sadness flickers across his face as he turns toward the mountains. He makes a noncommittal sound, as if he doesn’t believe me.

I exhale. “The Heart of the Moon might be able to break the bond.”

“If we knew where it was. But it has been lost for many centuries, Princess.”

“Lochlan thinks my mother had it at some point.”

“I heard.” He shrugs.

“You thought it was in the Borderlands on the night we met.”

“Aye. I did. I came up here the night before I rode south. There was barely a cloud in the sky, andGhealachshone brightly over the Borderlands. I thought it was a sign. Perhaps it was. Perhaps she led me to you.” He runs a hand over his mouth. “You really want to look for it?”

“I do.”

I half expect him to change his mind, to tell me I cannot go. “Okay.”

“You’re going to let me?”

“It’s not safe for you here. Not anymore. Alexander wants you, and I don’t yet have control of all the Wolves in my kingdom. I won’t make the mistake of trusting too easily again. Alexander’s men are getting ready to march upon Madadh-allaidh, and when the fighting begins, I cannot trust that no one will betray me.” He drags his teeth over his bottom lip. “But I cannot let you travel alone. It’s not safe.”

A long breath plumes in front of my face. “You want me to go with Philip, don’t you?”

“I had a conversation with him yesterday. He’s annoying, but I could sense no ill feeling from him. He’s your brother. He will keep you safe when I cannot. I’m going to tell him togo back to his queen in the Snowlands, and to bring her back here.” I snap my head toward him, gritting my teeth to stop the pain that shatters through me from escaping. He gives me a sad smile. “Not to marry her. To ask her to fight with us. I don’t know what to believe when it comes to the God of Night. I feel we will need a bigger army soon enough. You said you wished to go to Glas-Cladach—their port is the closest to the Snowlands. He can accompany you there, and I recommend you go with him to your homeland.”

“Okay.”

His eyebrows raise, as if he had not expected me to agree. “I thought I would have a fight on my hands.”

“Iamfighting. Even if you are not.”

“I always knew you had fire in your soul.”

“I thought you were wrong when you said that about me. Perhaps... perhaps you were not.” I peer up at him. “What are you going to do about Blake?”

Callum’s big shoulders soften. “I’ll let him go, eventually. He’s no threat to me while you’re away, and I cannot risk him getting harmed when your lives are linked.Ghealachknows, he has as many enemies here as I do. I just want to make sure you’re out of the kingdom before he’s free.” He grips his hands together, knuckles whitening. “He’ll come after you, you know.”

“Yes,” I breathe. “I know.”

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