Page 205 of The Throne Seeker
Turned out her expression was all her mother needed.
“You mean…” A hand flew to her mother’s mouth. “Oh, Rose. That poor boy.”
A punch to the gut, if there ever was one.
“Am I that horrible?” she asked with a sharpness.
“Of course not, just—give me a moment,” her mother snapped, pausing. “Has he proposed?” She eyed Rose’s empty hand, which she hid behind her back.
“No, we’ve just begun seeing each other that way.”
Her mother couldn’t fathom it. “I don’t understand. I thought you and Roman didn’t get along. What changed?”
Rose reflected thoughtfully for a moment. “Everything. I thought he’d never understand me, but he does, Mum.” Her heart ached just thinking of him. “He sees what I am and lets me be just that… His love comes with no expectations.”
“Exactly how close have you two become?” Her mother tilted her head, attempting to look her in the eye.
Rose’s cheeks burned as she looked away. “As close as you can get.”
Her mother’s brows raised. “That didn’t take long, but I suppose I should’ve known after I found him in your bedroom after the wedding. You were just so broken. I didn’t know what to do.” She paused. “Has he gotten sick yet?”
Rose’s eyes shot to meet her mother’s. “How’d you know about that?”
“I experienced something similar.” Her mother went to her desk and opened the drawer, rummaging through its contents. “It’s something that happens when your siren desires them, draws them in. It’s powerful magic, to be sure. It can make him unable to survive without you if it’s strong enough. It’s quite a painful way to die.”
Rose’s heart faltered for a few beats. “You mean he really could’ve died?”
“Yes. And you’ll need to be careful if you’re—” her mother paused, looking for the word, “—intimatewith him in your full siren. As a human, he may never be able to move on from you… Ah!” Her mother found what she was looking for, holding up a small golden band. Her mother brought it to her, placing it intoher palm. “Take this ring, give it to him. It’ll help him remain unaffected by your siren when you’re apart.”
Rose looked down at the thick golden band with runes inscribed on it. “How do you have this?”
Her mother held up her hand, showing the ring she never took off. “Because I had to wear one, too. Your father had it made for me by the same seer who cast the protection spell over you. We had two made, knowing this day might come. He’ll need to wear it always.”
Rose inspected the ring. She had always believed it to be a cherished family heirloom. “Why hasn’t this happened to Tristan or anyone else?”
“I don’t know for certain; the magic affects everyone differently. It’s not your choice. It’s your siren’s—your magic. For some reason, it desires Roman above anyone else.”
Rose needed a moment to process. She stood from the bed and went to the window, gazing out. That night on the balcony, when she first laid eyes on Roman, she’d felt something stir within her—that unfamiliar energy… Could it have been her magic?
“How do I know if he truly loves me?” Rose asked almost rhetorically into the night sky, now free of storm clouds. “How do I know his love isn’t just my siren luring him in? Forcing him to stay?” She faced her mother. “How did you know it was love and not infatuation?”
Her mother rose from the bed. “I didn’t. Perhaps I never will. But it didn’t make our love any less real to me.”
Rose looked back to the window, wishing she could be so sure.
Her mother joined her. “I know you must have more questions, but it’s getting late, and we need to decide what we’re going to do. I say we take the risk and leave. Go into hiding. We have the resources now, and we aren’t defenseless.”
“What about the queen? I can’t ask Roman to leave her now.” She had already kept him away too long.
Her mother bit her lip, tapping her foot. “You’re right. We’ll wait until the queen is at peace… I fear it won’t take long,” she said, her voice saddened. “Then the three of us will go back to Highland Haven until we figure out what to do next.”
Rose slowly nodded, agreeing.
Her mother took her hand, looking her in the eye. “Whatever you do, don’t tell Tristan about Roman. He’s had enough trouble getting accustomed to his marriage as it is, and I don’t want him interfering again.”
She didn’t have to tell her that.
Her mother gave a firm nod. “Right. Now let’s go… Roman must be going stir-crazy without you,” she muttered from experience.
