Page 135 of The Call of Crimson
The accusation stings more than I want to admit.
“I did,” I say, but find it lacks some of the bitterness I was used to. “And it came back to hurt me. Hence the reason I’m more cautious with my trust now.”
“And do you trust Aurelius?”
Her question lands with the weight of a boulder.
I hesitate before responding. “Yes.”
Rowina nods, satisfied. “Did you ever stop to consider that the things they’ve kept from you weren’t your burdens to bear? That maybe,just maybe,they kept them to protect you?”
“The thought had crossed my mind.”
“You need to learn to trust even when you don’t have the full story,” Rowina says bluntly.
“I’m working on it,” I admit softly.
“Forget what you think you know. Forget what you’ve been told about my brother, about our kingdom. What do his actions tell you?”
I frown, considering her words.
Ayden had arranged a marriage with me for the sake of peace between our kingdoms, but he had done it without my knowledge.
He had been moving pieces among my court, but in doing so, exposed a traitor behind so much tragedy.
When I had come onto him to drown my own pain and in an attempt to hurt Aurelius, Ayden had turned me down. I don’tknow many males who would have turned me down, regardless of my intentions.
His actions are a tapestry of manipulation and care so tightly interwoven that pulling one thread unravels the other.
“That’s a complicated answer,” I finally say.
“I think you’ll surprise yourself when you figure out the answer.” Rowina smiles.
She pulls a gold and black diadem from a small box I hadn't noticed, settling it into my braids.
It digs into the side of my head, slightly too small for me. While it matches my dress flawlessly, it doesn’t feel natural to me. I long for the crimson jewels of my normal crown.
“One last thing,” she says, retrieving another box.
Inside is a mask. Intricate gold filigree patterns twist together and overlay a soft black velvet to form a dainty covering.
I hold it to my face, feeling a part of me slipping away. The mask hides nothing—and yet it hides everything.
Rowina ties it in place, securing it with a few pins.
When I look in the mirror, I see myself, and yet, I don’t recognize the reflection at all. This beautiful stranger isn’t someone I know.
The knock comes a short while later.
When I open the door, Ayden greets me with a wide, easy smile. “I see Aurelius was correct about the dress,” he says, offering me his arm.
“And how is that?” I ask, taking it.
“The black suits you far better,” he admits sheepishly.
“I could have told you that. Why do you think I wear it so often?”
“I figured it was just your preference for leathers,” he muses as he leads me down the marble-tiled hallway.
