Page 151 of Tower of Ash and Darkness
I shake my head and step closer, perching on the edge of the desk. My fingers trail lightly over the edges of the map, absorbing the details without truly focusing on them. Casper’s finger drifts slowly across the map, pausing near a dark cluster of inked peaks.
“The vampire kingdom is to the north,” he murmurs, not looking at me. “Striden holds the southern routes. And here—” his hand moves to a pale stretch just past the borderlands, “King Sarris waits, hiding in his jeweled castle along the cliffs of Arinstor. He may not crave conquest, Princess. But even mad kings bleed when the mountains whisper.”
My gaze lifts, drawn to his stoic expression.
“Is this what you’ve been hiding from me this whole time?”
He doesn’t look away. His jaw tightens, a tremor of restraint passing through him.
“You should be asking your husband what he’s been hiding. Not me.”
His words are stripped of warmth, yet not cruel—just worn, like a burden that’s been carried too long. I study him in silence, his features carved from something too guarded, before letting my eyes fall back to the map. The lands blur. The borders lose shape. I can’t focus, not when everything feels like a game I was never taught how to play.
“I can’t pretend to know what’s going on in Jason’s head,” I murmur, a faint, fleeting laugh slipping out. The sound feels almost foreign in the heavy air. “But what I’m most curious about… is what’s going on in yours.”
The vulnerability I try so hard to hide finally seeps through. Casper gaze meets mine, the intensity in his green eyes stealing the air from my lungs. His hand lingers near mine, as if he’s debating whether to close the distance or retreat. I can see the struggle, the war waging within him, and it takes everything in me not to demand the truth he’s so clearly keeping.
“You shouldn’t be uncertain of me,” he says finally. “I’ve never lied to you, Princess.”
“Lying by omission is still a lie,” I counter.
His lips tighten, and I know I’ve struck a nerve.Good.
He takes a step closer, the scent of leather and something unmistakablyhimflooding my senses. His voice drops even lower, the words barely above a whisper.
“You can't begin to understand what I have done to keep you safe.”
“Then tell me,” I say, the fire rising in me again. “I am asking for honesty, is that truly too much? Or are you so used to keeping everyone at arm’s length that you don’t even know how to let someone in?”
Casper’s jaw clenches, and I almost think he might lash out. Instead, he takes a steadying breath and reaches out, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. The touch is so gentle, it makes my heart ache.
“I’m trying to protect you,” he murmurs, his thumb grazing my cheek.
“I don’t need protection fromyou,Casper,” I say, my voice cracking.
He looks away, his hand falling back to his side. The loss of his touch feels like a physical blow. I laugh bitterly, stepping back.
“So you’ve decided what’s best for me?”
His head snaps back to me, anger flashing in his eyes again.
“You think this is easy for me? Watching you risk yourself for people who wouldn’t hesitate to betray you? Forhim?”
The mention of Jason sends a fresh wave of frustration crashing over us, and I see the possessive edge return to his expression.
“Jason has nothing to do with this,” I snap, crossing my arms.
“He haseverythingto do with this,” Casper growls, stepping closer again. “You think I don’t see the way he looks at you? The way he’s always nearby, waiting for the chance to take what he thinks is his?”
I tilt my chin up defiantly.
“And what doyousee, Casper?”
His lips press into a thin line, his fists clenching at his sides.
“I’m not the man you think I am,” he says. “And you haveno ideawhat it’s going to cost me to be that man. To be what you deserve.”
The confession leaves me stunned, the atmosphere charged with a mixture of pain and longing. I step forward, my breath shaky, pleading.
