Page 34 of Betraying Korth

“Ask Tess.”

I nearly cricked my neck as I whipped my head around to look at Korth, sure it hadn’t been he who spoke.

Godfrey looked equally as shocked. “Your…Highness?”

“Ask Tess,” Korth repeated, sitting back down on the stool by my bedside. “She’s expressed interest in having a more involved role in the kingdom, and this is a simple enough case; we know he’ll be convicted. Let her get some experience.” He took my hand again and stroked his thumb across my fingers, a tender, concerned expression in his eyes. “Besides, my fiancée needs me.”

My heart would melt into a puddle any moment now. I didn’t even hear Godfrey’s stammered response before he bowed himself out. Gerta, still charged with being our chaperone but who had finished in the washroom, lowered her head over her cross stitch, the better to give us the illusion of privacy.

“I won’t leave you,” Korth whispered, and pressed my fingertips to his lips. My hand tingled. How could he stand the explosions of emotions rocketing around and not fly into hundreds of pieces when we touched each other? How had he managed to hold himself back for so long? If only I had his fortitude. But more than that, I wished that every leader was like Korth. If Odette and Raquel shared his relentless pursuit of justice, there would be no need for a rebellion. I wouldn’t be a traitor to my kingdom. But if I’d never been a traitor, I’d never have met Korth.

My fingers traced the veins that stood up on the backs of Korth’s hand and ran up his forearms. I couldn’t let myself fall for Korth. He was a royal, one of the ones we were working against…but it might be too late to say I had no feelings at all for him.

Why did life have to be so complicated?

CHAPTER 16

Just as the physician had predicted, my injury was a simple sprain, and back to normal within two days. Korth was far more relieved than I was about how minor the injury was. With how attentive and caring Korth was while my ankle was healing, I wouldn’t have minded if I’d broken it and had him wait on me for several weeks. He brought me a small brass bell with instructions to ring it at any time, and instructed the servants to keep the doors to the dumbwaiter shaft open so the bell could be easily heard in his room. If he wasn’t caught up in meetings, he would always try to dash up so he could be the one to answer my call.

My guilt about ringing for service the same way Odette had done to me was quickly overshadowed by the delight that swelled in my chest each time Korth bounded into view, eager to show me how much he cared through his actions. I thought he would tire of it, but he either didn’t or else disguised it well. As Korth wasn’t much of an actor, I was inclined to believe that it was the former. If anything, it seemed like a relief to him that he wasn’t required to give gushing orations about his feelings and instead was able to do something for me to display his affection.

While he was with me, I filled any silence with idle chatter, talking about whatever came to mind as Korth sat at my side with rapt attention. Though Korth wasn’t much of a natural conversationalist, he was an excellent listener, asking for more details at just the right time or nodding his head to show he was paying attention. At first, I remembered to occasionally slip in hints about my hopes that Haven Harbor would send the military reinforcements soon and asked probing questions about how much longer we needed to wait, but I soon found myself describing my dreams for the future and recounting childhood experiences Odette and I had, phrasing it with our roles reversed.

When Korth bade me farewell each evening, it was always with a smile and a promise to see me as soon as possible the following day. Under Godfrey’s watchful eye, Korth didn’t dare do more than brush his lips against the back of my hand before he left.

“I’m going to visit my grandmother today,” Korth told me once my ankle was healed. “Will you come with me?”

My heart sank. I’d made so much progress with Korth; I couldn’t afford to have suspicions aroused again. “She won’t remember that you promised to see her,” I told him evasively.

The look he gave me was a somber, piercing one. “But I remember.”

“She doesn’t like me,” I whispered. “I don’t want to make her upset again.”

“Please? For me? I care about both of you.”

I swallowed. Korth had done so much for me while my ankle had been mending; it was the least I could do to go with him to see his grandmother, even if she didn’t like me. I took heart at the fact that she had rejected me twice now and yet Korth was still falling for me.

“I’ll come with you.”

Korth brightened and offered me his arm. “Maybe it will be different this time. It’s been a few weeks.”

“Maybe,” I answered without enthusiasm.

Korth had to knock three times before the nursemaid answered the door. With one look at the nurse, I knew that Nona would be in one of her moods and braced myself for taking the criticism that was sure to follow.

“Orion? Is that you?” Nona’s creaking voice came from the window seat overlooking the gardens.

“It’s Korth. I brought Odette to see you again.”

“Who?”

“I’m Korth, your grandson,” Korth repeated, speaking slowly and clearly without even a hint of annoyance. “I’m Orion’s son, and I brought my fiancée, Odette, to see you.”

I shuffled forward, still holding Korth’s hand tighter than was necessary. Nona squinted as she observed me, then transferred her gaze to Korth.

“Orion’s son?”

Korth nodded. “That’s right. I’m Korth, remember?”

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