Page 31 of Lost Heir
“Good girl,” he said with a grin as he brushed the loose strands of hair away from my face. “I should probably go before someone finds us.”
I wanted to beg him to stay. I wanted to beg him to follow me into my bed chambers and spend the night withme, but I knew realistically, it wasn’t possible. At least not yet.
“When will we see each other again?” I inquired, already desperate for our next meeting.
“I’ll visit you tomorrow night. And the night after that, and the night after that,” he promised. “I’ll find a way.”
“Be careful,” I whispered as I stood on my tiptoes and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. “I look forward to tomorrow.”
10
The next couple of nights, Ronan found every way possible to see me; whether by sneaking into my bedroom, finding me in the kitchens, or coming to see me in the bath chambers. He didn’t miss a night, just as he promised.
The night before the banquet, it was nearing midnight and he still hadn’t arrived. I grew anxious with each hour ticked by, as many of our guests had already started trickling in. From what Viktor told me, Chief Aryan of the Crimson Clan arrived in the capital earlier that day.
There was a knock on my door and Tessa came in with warm tea. “Some chamomile with valerian root to help you sleep,” she announced as she placed the tray on my bedside table.
“Thank you, Tessa.” I crawled to the edge of the bed as she poured me a cup. “Do you know if—”
“He has not arrived yet, Your Highness,” she said, giving me a knowing look. “Viktor is on the lookout for him. He just left for the Northern palace to see if he’s still there.”
I snapped my mouth shut and nodded. It hadn’t takenlong for Viktor and Tessa to realize what was happening, but they promised to keep it a secret. That was all Ronan and I could ask of them.
“Do you think he’s in trouble?” I asked, worry lacing my voice. I believed in Ronan’s promise and knew he wouldn’t break it unless he had no choice.
“I don’t know, Your Highness. He’s been very careful. I can’t imagine him getting caught,” she said as she urged me to sip some tea.
I drank some of the tea and paused, then took a sniff. “Why is there so much valerian root? Are you trying to knock me unconscious?” I joked.
Tessa chuckled. “No, Your Highness, my apologies! This was my first time making tea and I wasn’t sure of the ratio. I should have gone to the palace healer. Next time, I will.”
Dismissing Tessa's concern with a wave, my restlessness refused to be quelled by the mere presence of tea. “Don't worry. Thank you for trying.” I set the tea aside, its warmth untouched.
“Your Highness—”
The plush bed offered no solace to my unease, prompting a sudden decision. “You know what?” I interjected before Tessa could voice her worries. “I think a night stroll in the gardens is just what I need.” I swiftly shrugged off the covers and leapt from the bed, propelled by a need for movement and the fresh embrace of night air.
Tessa's laughter, light and understanding, filled the room as she handed me my robe, a shield against the coolness of the night. Perched on the edge of the bed, I slipped into a pair of sturdy shoes and left the softness of my slippers behind. “Come on, Tessa, let’s breathe in some fresh air,” I invited. Together, we ventured out into the gardens.
The garden paths, bathed in a subtle glow from themoon, wound before us, a labyrinth of shadows and silhouettes. The night bloomed with the heady scent of roses, their fragrance intensified by the cool air to guide us as much as the faint trail underfoot. My steps, aimless yet purposeful, kicked at the pebbles along the path, their soft clatter a companion to our nocturnal wanderings.
Seeking a diversion from my tumultuous thoughts, I turned to Tessa’s steady presence. “Tell me about your time in the army, Tess,” I prompted, genuinely curious to hear her story rather than dwell on my own.
Tessa's response was modest. Her hands were clasped loosely behind her back as we walked. “There’s not much to tell, Your Highness. I joined the Mage quadrant when I turned seventeen and have been there ever since.” Her words were simple, yet they hinted at a depth of experience hidden beneath the surface.
My curiosity piqued, I probed further. “But what made you join? Not all mages choose the army. Wasn't there anything else you dreamed of doing?” The question lingered in the air between us, an invitation to share more about herself.
Her denial was gentle yet firm. “No, I can’t think of anything else. My mother was a mage, too, in the Valorian army, until …” Her voice trailed off and the sentence was left hanging, laden with unspoken history.
“Until the war,” I finished for her, the weight of her legacy a silent echo in her words.
“Yeah,” she whispered, her voice barely audible against the backdrop of singing frogs from the fountains nearby. In her admission, there was a sense of continuity and loss, a story of service and sacrifice that spanned generations. We continued to walk, the night around us a cloak of sharedunderstanding that bridged the gap between past and present, a princess and her protector.
“I’m so sorry, Tessa,” I muttered, feeling incredibly guilty. While deep down I knew the war wasn’t my fault, I was still one of the reasons for the attack. At least for the Crimson Clan’s part. Keldara just wanted our lands.
“Lyanna!” someone called out from behind us.
Tessa and I turned to see who it was and my stomach dropped when I saw Caelan striding across the garden. Even in the dark, his silver hair shone like a beacon. I tensed. Noticing the change in my demeanor, Tessa stood slightly in front of me, partially blocking me from his view.
