Page 17 of A Kiss of Flame
Elodie needed to see Roland. She needed to make him understand. And to do that… she would have to tell him the truth.
Or a certain amount of it anyway. She wasn’t sure she could bring herself to tell him everything. It would mean admitting far too much, so many things she didn’t want to say, things she really did not want him to know.
But what choice did she have left?
She was about to face trial. She needed a champion. But Wren needed him more.
He would understand, wouldn’t he? He had to. She closed her hand around the locket she wore and held it tight.
‘Tell him I’ll see him. Tell him… tell him I want to talk.’
CHAPTER 9
WREN
Wren had not expected the summons to Roland’s office which was waiting for her when she got back to her chambers. Not today. There had been a number of them since they arrived in Pelias. They had all been quite cold and formal, impersonal, polite messages from a stranger. Easy to dismiss.
This time he had sent Finn and she couldn’t ignore that. From his grim expression she realised that this was less invitation and more command. Making Finn deliver it was just the line to underscore that. A very different kind of message. Finn was his man, through and through, no matter what Wren thought or hoped. And clearly Roland knew Wren would not ignore him.
Carlotta took one look and stepped back out of the room, closing the door discreetly behind her.
Well, at least there was that. Wren didn’t want witnesses to this. She was alone with Finn in the plush palace suite assigned to her and she didn’t know what to do. Finn had been leaning against a tall-backed chair, but straightened when she entered, coming to attention like the soldier he was. He moved with that familiar lithe stealth, all fluid lines and steely muscles. He took her breath away, just by being there.
‘What do you want?’ she asked, the words out of her mouth before she could think of anything clever to say. So that would have to be her greeting. If the words stung him, he didn’t show it. Well, he had been avoiding her. He kept his face perfectly placid and handed her the note.
She knew what it was the second she saw it. She had scrunched up and thrown enough of them away by now.
Why on earth did Roland have to send a note when he could come to ask her himself, or even send armed guards to bring her to him? There was a formality to it, an iciness, that didn’t sit well with her. He was meant to be her father.
He was also the last person she wanted to know anything about her. Especially now. It was too dangerous, no matter what Elodie thought.
And Elodie, in spite of her own belief in herself, did not know everything.
‘Why does he want to see me?’ Wren asked.
Finn closed his eyes, clearly hearing her tone and not relishing the fight to come. Because there was going to be a fight, wasn’t there? She could feel it fizzing in the air between them.
‘He’s your father. He’s worried about you. He wants to explain why?—’
Wren didn’t let him finish. There was no point.
‘I don’t need him. I’ve never needed a father.’
‘Only because of Elodie. Please, Wren, listen to him.’
‘Why? Because you ask me? He didn’t come here himself. He sent you. I don’t know why. You’ve been avoiding me ever since…’
She couldn’t say it. Even now. Turning away, she threw the letter aside, heading for the second room which was where her bed was. A mistake, she realised in an instant, but Finn was right there with her, every step matched. Of course he was. Finn had never backed down from a fight. Not even with her.
‘I’ve been trying to work out what to do. And what happened.’ He sounded as lost as she felt. It stopped her in her tracks.
‘What happened when?’
Finn gave a brief laugh, little more than a huff of breath. There was no humour in it, not really. Just bitterness and despair. ‘Where to begin? In the darkwood, at the stones, in the Sacrum, any time I’m with you…’
‘With me?’
His hand closed on her shoulder, so warm, so strong and yet so gentle. She turned into his touch, unable to help herself. Finn was here, he was real and finally he was talking to her again. But now he didn’t reply. He had no answer either.
