Page 47 of The Enemy's Daughter

Also, it’s exactly what he wants.

“I’m not sure what it would take to share memories successfully; I’ve never done it,” he says. “But the connection does seem to reflect our... connectedness. Most founding family members enter into marriage trusting each other completely, so they never encounter these barriers to begin with.”

Well, if trust is the key, then it looks like we won’t be unlocking any furthercapabilities.

As if he can read my mind, he moves on. “Tell me why you’re upset.”

I swallow hard as my gaze lingers on the floor. “Enola encouraged me to come, and let’s just say I wasn’t... well received.”

“Ah.” He sounds disappointed.

“Shocking, right? Why would anyone be upset that theWhite Rabbitcrashed their beloved leader’s funeral?”

He doesn’t laugh or speak at all, and shame quickly heats my cheeks. It was callous to use sarcasm in reference to his father. “I just...” I search for some semblance of the truth. “I was naive in thinking I could come and show support for you and leave unscathed.”

I feel his surprise at my admission, and the resulting pleasure itbrings him causes my stomach to swoop.

“The people aren’t ready for you yet,” he says. “And—Enola. I love her, but there’s a reason she wasn’t my first choice to help you while you were sick. She’s got her own ideas of—”

“No, she’s... lovely. She cares about you. And—” Enola’s words from earlier come back to me, giving me pause.

If you heard what the other candidates for mayor have planned, you’d do whatever it took to get Tristan elected.

“She also really wants us to work.” Biting my lip, I force myself to meet his eyes. Instantly, energy builds between us, and the connection intensifies, smudging the line between him and me. It makes me nervous.Hemakes me nervous.

I swear the air starts to shimmer.

“Doyou?” he asks.

My throat makes an incoherent sound. How do I answer that? If I say yes to appease him, he’s going to spend more time with me. Submerge me in more of his disturbingly enjoyable emotions.

Touch me.

All things that could wear down my defenses, gaining access to skies know what in my head.

If I answer no, how do I keep him from destroying the clans?

But for some inexplicable reason his question lingers, as if probing for something deeper.

WhatdoI want?

Or rather, would I choose him if we lived in a different time and place? One not driven by duty and decades of hate?

At this, an image of Liam springs into my mind and overwhelming guilt quickly follows. What am I doing? It doesn’t matter whatIwant. A place without duty doesn’t exist.

“I’ll talk to her.” He rubs his face. “The people here, too. It’s going to take them a while to understand, though.” He falls back in his chair, his posture tired. His sorrow over his father’s death and the weight of his responsibilities in its wake are all mounting up. Then there’s the added complication of me.

I lean forward in my chair. “Is it possible for us to share your grief the same way we shared the poison?”

He exhales slowly, then nods. “All wounds and pain can be shared. But I don’t expect you to do that.”

And yet if anyone should, it’s me. Not only is my family the reason there’s a funeral today, but I played a crucial part by being the prize for Farron’s murder. “I would help you. I’d take your grief in a heartbeat, if I could do it without...”

“Connecting to me,” he finishes, eyes locking with mine. “You still think we’re enemies.” It’s not bitter. He’s simply stating a fact.

I don’t think it; Iknowwe are. He has his own duty to fulfill. For Kingsland, he needs to figure out what I know.

Although his actions remind me that he’s not evil. Not when he risked his life to save me from a poisoned arrow. Or stood up for me with Annette, and just now, promised protection from his angry people. Not all of those things feel like they’re rooted in his hope to manipulate me. Or is that naive of me to think?

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