Page 77 of A Cage of Magic and Darkness

I feel as though I’ve been transported back ten years, to when we left my homeland of Torremora to come to Askos, only now I’m the person marrying a king she doesn’t even know, and I don’t have my mother by my side.

I have to believe King Robertus won’t know I’m no longer a virgin. That I allowed my stepbrother to take that from me. It’s said that good horsewomen are often thought to not be virgins, so that is the excuse I’m sticking to. There’s a possibility he’ll just throw me out, though, and refuse to allow any people from Askos into his kingdom, no matter how bad the rot gets here.

I haven’t even spoken to Ruarok since, though he’s tried to on many occasions. Every time I think of him—which is every minute, it feels like—my heart breaks anew. He’d been so angry at the idea of me marrying King Robertus, but what else am I supposed to do? It’s not as though he’s asked me to marry him, and, even if he did, it wouldn’t save the people of Askos.

I have no choice but to go through with this and pray I don’t end up homeless and alone.

Skylar picks up my final case. “I’ll take this down to the courtyard and wait for you there.”

She can tell I need a minute to myself.

She’s about to leave, but I stop her again. “Skylar, thank you for coming with me. Both you and Balthorne. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” I’m aware they’re giving up their homes for me.

“As long as Balthorne is coming, too, we’ll both be okay.” She gives a small smile. “He feels the same way.”

“Of course Balthorne is—” What she means hits me. “Oh, wow, that’s fantastic. I’m so happy for you both.”

“Thank you, Princess.” She gives a small curtsey and carries my bag out of the door.

I turn away, letting out a deep sigh and taking my final look at this place. I will miss it so much. Maybe it wasn’t my home to start with, but it’s become that way. I’d never wanted to leave.

“Taelyn?”

Ruarok’s deep voice comes from the direction of the door, and I spin to face him. He’s so beautiful, my heart aches for him.

“What are you doing here?”

“I can’t let you leave.”

I try not to let my voice wobble and fail. “You don’t have any choice in the matter.”

He takes a step closer. “If I’d done things differently, would you still be leaving?”

“I can’t answer that.”

“What if I promise to change?”

I close my eyes and shake my head. “Your promises mean nothing. How am I supposed to trust you now?”

“You have to.” He seems desperate. “I love you.”

His words catch my breath.

“Do you? I thought the only thing you loved was the idea of sitting on the king’s throne.”

His gaze flicks away. “Maybe, at first.” He brings it back to mine, locking our eyes. “That was before I got to know you. Before I learned how brave and strong and stubborn you are. Before I fell in love with you.”

A painful tightness constricts my throat. “How am I supposed to believe that? You planned to ruin my reputation. To make people hate me, all by being with you.”

“I’m sorry. I’d say it a million times if it would make you believe me. You know how I feel about you. The way I look at you. How we are together. I can’t fake that.”

“How you feel doesn’t matter. How I feel doesn’t matter. I’m not doing this for you or me. I’m doing it for the kingdom, for the people who live here, so they’ll have somewhere safe to go. One day, maybe soon, maybe years in the future, the rot will completely consume Askos, and then those people will need to find refuge, just like my mother and I found refuge here all those years ago. How can I deny them that? To take something from them that I was lucky enough to have?”

“Taelyn…” It’s as though he’s run out of words.

I can’t look at him anymore. My heart is threatening to break. “It’s too late. I have to go.”

I move to get past him, but he drops to his knees in front of me.

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