The prince was alone.
There had been a time quite recently when Kestrel had wanted nothing more than to have more alone time with him, the way they had when they’d first met in the alleyway.
But now being in his looming presence made her spine turn ice cold.
“If I could just?—”
Without a word, Kestrel slammed the heavy door in his face.
“I deserve that.” His regal voice came muffled through the cracks, and she cursed herself for the way her belly fluttered at the familiar sound of him. “And I know you have every right not to want to speak to me. But please, allow me to say I am sorry. Truly.”
Kestrel folded her arms over herself, refusing to give him the forgiveness he was so clearly seeking. Whenever she and Thom would argue, he’d say she could hold a grudge like no one he’d ever known before. It’s why he so lovingly bestowed the nickname Little Fury upon her. And it was a point of pride for Kestrel now.
It would take a lot more than a few of Leighton’s sweet and pleading words to erase the damage he had done now.
As the silence stretched on, Kestrel heard something from the other side of the door scrape along the ground. She lookeddown to find a small, blue circle appear from the crack beneath her door.
A ring.
“I—I meant to return that to you sooner, you just haven’t given me the chance to—and that’s entirely my fault. I know that. But, I know it belonged to your mother, so I wanted to make sure it made its way back to you. That is, if you still wanted it—I wasn’t even sure if after everything you would?—”
Kestrel bent to retrieve her mother’s heirloom. “Is it safe?”
“Of course,” he said, his tone hiking a little. “If you wear it, it will prevent you from using your magic, but it’s safe to touch and hold onto. We could even get you a chain so that you could loop it around your neck if you’d rather not wear it on your skin and inhibit your magic?—”
“I’d like that very much,” she said hastily.
“Consider it done then.”
She could hear the grateful smile in his voice, and it only served to irk her. As if he thought she’d let him off the hook that easily. And for what? For returning something to her thathehad ripped away?
No.
But her stupid, naïve heart empathized with him. She understood his motive. All he had been thinking about was saving a father whom he hadn’t seen in decades. Like he had told the queen, she had been an easy mark, a means to an end, a solution to a problem they’d been facing for years.
Kestrel liked to think she wouldn’t have been so heartless if their roles were reversed, but she didn’t know for certain. Already she was going to great lengths to try to save Thom. And if it had been her mother’s fate on the line? If she’d had even a chance to see her again, would she not be willing to do just about anything?
Not that she was ready to openly forgive and forget. The pain was still too raw, too fresh.
But, while she was here, she would need to play nicely.
“I know why you did what you did,” she told him, pressing her hand against the wooden door, as if she could feel him through it. And oh, how she still wanted to feel him. “It still doesn’t make it hurt any less.”
His voice sounded closer too, like he was pressed up against the door on the other side. “I know. And all I can say is… I was desperate and I am so terribly sorry. I should’ve listened to Micah and spoken to you about it. But I was scared. You are the daughter of one of the most deranged queens in history. I wasn’t sure if I could trust you, and I was worried if I asked then you would just say no, and our only chance would be gone, and then I’d never get to?—”
The last of his words cut off.
Kestrel heard him take a step back, as if he was walking away. Fear creeped into her chest. She wasn’t ready for him to go yet. To be left alone again.
Kestrel flung the door open and found him pinching the bridge of his nose. He sniffled when he noticed her, his back straightening. He was so good at slipping back into the role he thought he needed to fill, and she wished she could find a way to convince him that he didn’t need to. His tears were warranted. She understood.
Standing there, even decked in his armor and cape, Kestrel was starting to see him for who he really was. A scared little boy with the weight of duty and expectations upon his shoulders.
But he was more than that too. Someday soon, he would be the King of Irongate.
Leighton had power.
Power that she might need, if she had any hope at seeing Thom again.
