Her features drew into a sharp scowl.
“You were going to... what? Steal our carriage?”
“No,” she snapped. “Of course not. I was leaving on foot when I realized I was missing my necklace. I thought maybe it had fallen somewhere in the carriage, so I was looking for it.” She held it up, then looped it around her neck. “I found it.”
I stepped closer and she moved back. “Leave? Why would you leave?”
She crossed her arms. “Why do you care?”
The question caught me off-guard, and I sensed the anger behind it, in the tautness of her body, in the way she raised her chin, so defiant. My instinct was to make the peace and draw a smile from her.
“Wasthis all a ruse?” I teased. “To lure me in here? Finish what we started on that balcony?” I knew instantly I’d said the wrong thing.
Her cheeks flushed red, and now it wasn’t just anger swirling in those green eyes—it was sadness as well.
“If Poppy is worth dying for, don’t you think she’s worth fighting for too?”
That’s what Leoni had said.
“Just let me leave, Loch.” She tried to push past me.
My fingers curled into my palms, digging into them. “No,” I said, stepping in front of her and blocking the exit.
“Why not?” She threw out her arms. “I’m giving you a way out.” All the anger in her eyes melted into hurt, hurt that I didn’t understand. “You don’t have to break anything to me, Loch. You don’t have to have difficult conversations or tell me that what happened between us on the balcony didn’t mean anything. I’m leaving and letting you off the hook.”
Understanding hit me. “Wait,” I started, but she cut me off.
“It’s okay. I understand. I knew your reputation, knew what I was getting into with you. I’m just like all the other women. Expendable.”
“Fight for her.”
“That’s not what this is,” I said quietly, a forcefulness behind my words that I wasn’t used to.
She swallowed, eyeing me suspiciously. “You just don’t want to say it because you’re nice and you don’t want to hurt me. I’m a grown woman. I’ll be okay.”
“I’m not that nice.” I took a step forward. “I don’t want you to run away,” I said, “because the difficult conversation isn’t about how I don’t care for you. It’s about how much I do.”
She stared at me, completely still, and I really hoped I hadn’t just said the wrong thing again, that I hadn’t just blown our relationship to pieces with my admission.
“Care for me?” she echoed.
“No,” I said, and her face fell. “Care doesn’t even begin to cover what I feel for you.” I met her confused gaze. “My life didn’t have meaning until the night you came into my dreams. I don’t just desire you, I need you like I need air. Like a plant needs water. Like Driscoll needs gossip.”
She laughed.
“I love you.”
“But you don’t fall in love,” she said.
“Apparently I do.” My lips quirked. “With brown-haired, green-eyed princesses who are selfless and sweet and who see through all my bullshit. Do you know anyone by that description, by any chance?”
“But I have nothing to offer you.” She threw out her arms. “I can’t give you an alliance or a crown or even use my magic. I’m on the run, wanted by the king of the sky court!”
Oh, my little bird. Of course she wouldn’t believe I loved her. Her gran made her believe she had to prove her worth, to earn her love. She thought her only worth was in what she could offer me. I thumbed away a tear that trailed down her cheek.
“You don’t have to offer me anything to earn my love. Not when you’re already everything.”
Tears spilled from her eyes now, her cheeks damp and rosy, her green eyes bright and glimmering, searching my face with a desperation.
