Page 16 of The Warlord's Wildflower
The corridor stretches endlessly, walls pressing in. My chest heaves, but no air comes.
Then suddenly, blessedly, night air. My skirts catch on the stones, and I nearly trip, but I keep going, racing toward the only place that’s ever felt even a little safe.
The garden.
By the time I reach the low stone wall and tumble into the grass, my breath is gone, my chest heaving. My knees hit the earth, and I collapse in on myself, fists tangled in my skirts, sobs ripping from my throat.
I don’t understand. Why would he say that? In front of everyone? The thoughts circle in my head like vultures. I press my forehead to my knees, fingernails biting into my scalp.
Breathe. Just breathe.
A twig snaps as someone approaches from behind me. I don't look up to see who it is.
“Annie.”
Fenric's voice is softer than I've ever heard it, and I curl tighter, arms locking around my legs. My next breath hitches painfully.
“Go away. Please.”
The grass rustles as he kneels.
“I can't do that.”
Chapter Ten
Fenric
The second she bolts, my blood turns to ice.
One moment, I’m riding the high of victory—goblet raised, hall roaring, my little songbird sitting pretty at the high table like the treasure she is. Next, Annie’s eyes go wide, and she looks horrified in that way that makes my gut tighten, and then she’s fleeing.
The cheers die in my throat. I shove the goblet at Beatrice, who snarls something like “You idiot!” as I shoulder through the crowd.
I take the back corridors, the ones only us warriors know. I know exactly where I'll find her. In the garden, her sanctuary. I slow when I hear her quiet, shattered sobs. The sound claws straight through my ribs.Fuck. I did that. Me.The thought makes me want to break something, preferably my own face.
Then I see her curled into herself, knees hugged to her chest, face buried in the skirts. The lavender sways around her, brushing her bare ankles, andStars, even now, even like this, she’sgorgeous.
I crouch a few feet away. Close enough to catch the hitch in her breath when she senses me. Far enough to give her space.
“Annie.”
Her shoulders tense. A fresh tremor runs through her, and I have to fist my hands to keep from reaching for her.
Wrong move, Fenric. Too soon.
“Go away. Please.”
“I can’t do that.”
It’s silent between us for a moment, except for the sound of her sniffling, and my chest feels like it's about to crack open. “Hey, blossom,” I try to keep my voice light and teasing. “I, uh… might’ve gotten carried away back there.”
Silence.
Damn it.
I rake a hand through my hair. “Look, I thought you'd want this…wantme. Then, you didn’t give me your ribbon, and I started thinking maybe I’d imagined it all, or you’d changed your mind.” The admission burns, I'm not used to feeling like this. “Then that pompous bastard opened his mouth like he had a right to claim you—” My jaw clenches. “And I lost it. That’s the truth.”
I chance a glance down at her. She’s listening, her fingers are clenched so tight in her skirts, her knuckles are white. I want to pry them loose and kiss each one.
