“Can you believe these people?” Frederick muttered in my ear. “They came to see us die and now they’re cheering for one of us to be their new ruler.”
“Maybe they’re afraid that we’ll kill them if they don’t cheer.”
Frederick shrugged and pulled Starr closer to him. “Or maybe they were longing for change just as much as we were.”
“Hmm.”
“You know what this means, right?” Frederick gave me a small smile. “You’re in a good position to ask a favor of the new ruler.”
I raised a questioning eyebrow.
“Is your mind clouded from this chaos?” Frederick reached out a hand and shook my shoulder. “If Devina came to this side of the border, she might be allowed to marry a man of her own choice without a tournament.”
“But there would be a war if Devina came here. The Motherlands would demand her back.”
Starr and Frederick were watching me with sympathy on their faces.
“You knew about Devina?” I asked Starr.
“Yes, Frederick told me after Wilma’s tournament.”
“It was a secret,” I scolded him, but he just shrugged.
“She’s my wife and I trust her.”
Fuck, I wanted what they had so badly. Sucking in a deep breath, I declared, “You’re right. I’m going to go after her.”
Frederick gave a nod. “You do what you have to do, but just be careful.”
“Will you explain it to the others? I might be gone for a while if I have to track her down in the Motherlands.”
Starr stopped me when I backed away. “Tyton.”
“Mmm.”
“Be sure to shower first before you go after her. You all kind of stink.”
CHAPTER 34
Last Letters
Tyton
When I got back to my house only the dusk lit up my path as I ran straight to the green belt behind our house hoping to find more letters from Devina. She had told me she would be back on December 30thand that was yesterday. If the stars were with me, she wouldn’t have left yet.
There were four bottles with letters expressing how she wanted to meet with me and talk. Reading her letters, I felt sick to my stomach from seeing how the woman I loved had come back sooner than expected and begged me to answer her.
Did she come back because she missed me?
I closed my eyes when I read her conclusion that I was angry with her and no longer cared.
Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve. I’m giving over the house at noon and then I have to leave. You don’t know how much I wish I could stay and wait for your anger to cool down, so we could talk.
Noon. Dammit, it was close to nine in the evening and she would be gone now. I reread the next paragraph with my heart hurting.
Please forgive me for causing you the pain that would make you hold a grudge so deep that you continue to ignore me and refuse to write me back.
For what it’s worth, I think of you constantly, and I meant it when I said that I love you.
