Page 57 of Beyond the Faerie Gate

“So what?” Her whisper is so quiet Drystan doesn’t hear it. A second later, she clears her throat and repeats herself. “Why does it matter? I’m supposed to be this great Nicnevin who’s destined to solve everything. How can I do that if you keep hiding me away like I’m a dirty little secret?”

I run my hand through my hair, pushing the strands out of my face as I try to figure out how to answer her. Drystan beats me to it.

“You’re not going.” His growl reverberates through the room. “Jaromir, you can’t be considering this?”

He’s asking me? I must be the youngest male here. I’m also her knight. I’m not here to make decisions for her. I’ve been training my entire life to obey Rose’s word without question.

Still, the idea of her going doesn’t sit well with me.

“I’m not weak,” Rose insists. “I can come with you.”

I shake my head. “We’re not trying to protect you because you’re weak, Rosie.” I curse myself as I use the nickname I didn’t mean to give her all over again. Taking too many liberties, Jare. She’s a queen. She probably hates you butchering her name. “We protect you because you’re important.”

Her life is more important than my own. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to keep her safe.

“Please?” she whispers, staring imploringly into my eyes with her large violet ones. “Please, don’t split us up.”

Goddess, I physically can’t find it in me to say no. Her eyes are dragging me in, begging me to say yes. She should never have to beg me for anything.

“Okay,” I mumble.

Drystan curses. “Jaromir, you can’t be serious!”

“No one can resist when our Rose says please,” Lorcan says, grinning like it’s a good thing. “She gets these sparkly eyes.”

Isn’t that the truth?

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