Page 106 of Where Darkness Falls

Though I desire to run to her, I walk slowly so as to not draw further suspicion from the king. I feel his eyes trained on the back of my head as I draw nearer to Maeva and Virgil. The orchestra ends the song that they were playing, to which all the revelers clap. They’re about to start the next song when I tap on Maeva’s shoulder.

She turns, her eyes narrowing as she looks at me up close for the first time. Her ocean blue eyes are burning with unmatched intensity. Herlips are the softest shade of rose, and her hair falls along her shoulders as if it were a waterfall.

Holy Celestae, she’s beautiful.

I clear my throat.

“Mind if I cut in?”

Emyr isthe Prince of Zulgalros.

The bloody prince…

I still can’t wrap my head around the idea, even as he stands before me. I’m a fool for not figuring it out sooner. All the signs are there, from the way the palace staff treat him to the way he carries himself. I truly thought he was just arrogant or hideously ugly, which is why he always wore the helmet,but no—it was to hide the truth.

His bright amber eyes sparkle against the darkness of the night, and they’re solely focused on me. There are small dimples in the corners of his mouth as he displays a realm shattering smile.

Is this what he’s been hiding behind the armor?

If so, perhaps he should always hide it away so no one else can see it because…

Holy Celestae!

He’s even more devastatingly handsomeup close. I’m pretty sure I could cut glass with his chiseled jawline.

Imagine all the vases I could make with all that glass…

Maeva, my dear, I do believe you’re drooling,Saoirse chuckles.

That’s beside the point,I snap back.

And what IS the point then, my dear?Saoirse inquires.

The point is that he’s here, he’s beautiful, and he lied to me. He hid this part of himself from me just when I thought we were being vulnerable. So, why not reveal his identity when we were alone? Why reveal this so publicly to me now?I reply, confused.

Technically he didn’t lie, my dear. He just omitted parts of who he is,Saoirse says.

That’s the same thing as lying, Saoirse,I snap.

Perhaps to you it is, but you’ve hidden things from him as well. So don’t hold him to a standard that you don’t abide by yourself,she replies.

Bloody Celestae, she’s right.

I haven’t admitted that I have a random voice in my head that speaks to me.

I suppose we both have secrets we desire to keep to ourselves, but it still doesn’t take the sting away.

Bloody voice,I grimace.

All that matters is that you know that I’m right,Saoirse retorts.

“Maeva,” Virgil’s voice pulls me out of my stupor. “Do you wish to dance with Emyr?”

Apparently, I’m still staring at Emyr like a daft idiot, because the prince is quite amused.

The cheeky twit.

I tilt my head higher. “No,” I say. I attempt to turn back toward Virgil when Emyr’s firm hand wraps around my arm.

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