It was a several-hour horseback ride back to the castle. When we reached the stables, Cahal ushered me to a stall in the back.
“Where are we going?” I asked him. This was not the way out of the barn. He put his finger to his lips. Voices could be heard outside the barn and I nodded.
Bending down to the ground, he reached out and began to wipe away hay on the floor. In doing so, he exposed a trapdoor.
“Cool,” I whispered, and Cahal winked. Pulling the door back, he gestured that I go first. There were wooden steps and a faint orange glow beneath. Sucking up my fear of enclosed spaces, I descended the steps and reached level ground as Cahal shut the trapdoor and then met me. We were in a brick-walled tunnel with torch-lit sconces every twenty feet.
“This is crazy,” I told him, no longer whispering.
He nodded. “Every good castle has a secret entrance.”
He led the way. We’d walked for quite a while when we reached another set of steps that went up. These led to a door, and I was quite excited to see where it would come out. Cahal pulled out a key and slipped it into the lock, pushing it wide open.
I gasped when we stepped into the king’s private bedroom.
“If there is ever an attack, you and the king can be out of the castle and on horseback in minutes,” he said.
IT WAS INCREDIBLE, but now that I was alone in the king’s bedroom, a place I’d only spent one very memorable night, I wasn’t sure what to do.
Cahal bowed deeply to me. “Have a bath, read a book, wait for him to come.”
Sit around and wait on someone to come yell at me for running away? Couldn’t wait.
I nodded, then Cahal left out the front door of the bedroom, speaking in hushed tones to the guards outside.
My stomach tightened as I thought of how pissed off Raife was going to be that I’d fled his little cabin prison in the woods. I knew our little conversation at Molly’s grave wasn’t over, and I wasn’t sure what was going to happen now. I took Cahal’s advice and had a long bath, relieved to find that my wardrobe closet was still here and stocked full. I slipped into an elegant sleeveless mint green gown and then tied my damp hair into two braids. I grabbed three books off of the shelves and then lay on the couch and began to read. After the first hour passed, I undid my braids and let my hair down, now with a kinky curl that I knew Raife loved. After the second hour, I started to pace the room anxiously, and my stomach grumbled.
When the third hour struck, I started to fear that Raife had killed that poor man and his wife for what they did to me. A knock finally came at the door and I nearly yelped in relief.
“Come in!” I yelled.
The door opened and Mrs. Tirth stepped in, looking over her shoulder to make sure she wasn’t followed. “Brought you some soup and a tomato-cheese sandwich,” she said. “Tasted it myself.”
I was so happy to see her I nearly burst into tears. Rushing forward, I took the tray from her and set it down. “Thank you.”
She nodded, looking anxiously at me.
I chewed my lip. “Is he really mad at me?” I asked her. I didn’t know why I cared—he was the one who’d imprisoned me in the woods. But Mrs. Tirth was like a mother figure to Raife and I wanted her opinion.
She pressed her apron flat. “It’s been a zoo here, Kailani. He had to fire half the palace staff because he caught them selling information about you. People have been lining up at the doors with their sick and elderly all week.”
Hades. It was worse than I thought.
“I didn’t mean for people to find out that I’m blessed. But he was dying. What would you have had me do?” Tears lined my eyes and Mrs. Tirth stepped forward to scoop them off my cheek.
“Oh, honey, I would have done the same thing. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have to live with the consequences of our actions. I’ve known Raife his entire life. I helped raise him. I haven’t seen him this distressed since his parents died. I think the need to protect you from his own people is tearing him apart.”
I swallowed hard. And I’d just broken out of the only safe place he’d put me.
“I can’t live alone in the woods for the rest of my life. I’d rather die,” I told her.
She nodded, looking forlorn. “Well, if the people don’t calm down over this, you might just get your wish.”
Her bold claim knocked the breath out of me. They would kill me? Was that what she meant? Or force me to use my last healing breath?
“I—”
The door swung open and we both jumped. Raife strode in and cut Mrs. Tirth a look that made her bow and leave without a word.
I was suddenly not so hungry. Staring at the king, at his set jaw, eyes thinned to slits, I was actually kind of scared.
“Did you kill Reeves?” I asked, my voice small.
“No,” Raife growled, his voice shaking with anger.
I didn’t know what to say, how to make him see that I couldn’t live alone in the woods while my aunt died.
“You promised you would save my aunt,” I said, the only thing I could think of to reason with him.
“You said I could trust you,” he shot back.
My head reared as if he’d slapped me. “You can. I would never hurt you—”
Raife stepped forward, rage coming off of him so strongly it felt murderous. “But you did hurt me, Kailani. You bedded me, made me fall for you, and then did something so reckless it ensured that I could never love you.”
I gasped, my hand going to my chest. “Reckless? Saving your life is reckless?”
He nodded. “You showed the entire beach what you were!” he shouted, his fists clenching. “You painted a target on your back, and now I will have to watch another person I care about die! I can’t live through that again. I’ll go mad.”
He cared about me. At least he was admitting that. It was a huge step for him. “I care about you too.” I reached for him and he jerked backwards as if I’d stung him.
“Kailani, I told you not to fall in love with me. This is what you get. The walls I built around my heart are too high and too thick to ever love again, and you have proved that. I’m sorry,” he snapped, and then turned, tearing out of the room and slamming the door.
I couldn’t keep the tears in. They rolled down my cheeks in big fat droplets, making me regret the day I ever met Raife Lightstone.
I ATE my now cold soup and sandwich and then read two more books. Because this room had no windows, I had no idea what time it was. As I started to feel sleepy, Raife returned, looking calmer than he had before.
I folded my book on my lap and then looked up at him. He walked over and sat in the reading chair across from me. Clasping his hands, he exhaled. “I’m sorry I got so angry with you earlier.”
I perked up. An apology? I hadn’t been expecting that.
Raife ran his fingers through his hair and sighed again. “I’m very protective around you, and now half the kingdom thinks you can bring their lost loved ones from the dead. It’s got me…” He shook his head.
“I’m sorry,” I told him. “You told me about the repercussions of what would happen if people found out I was blessed and now it’s happening.” I slipped onto my knees and sat before him, looking up into his eyes. “But, Raife, I would do it all over again if it meant saving you.”
He bristled, standing and pacing the room. “You have a big heart. You’re a good friend. I’m grateful you saved me, I just wish it hadn’t been at the expense of your safety.”
A good friend.
I lay back on the carpet like I’d been hit with an arrow, closing my eyes. If he used the F word one more time I was going to scream.
“What are you doing?” he asked, and my eyes snapped open. He was standing over me.
I shrugged. “Wishing I could rewind time and let you die so that you would stop berating me for this mistake.”
He smirked. “This isn’t berating. I can do that, though, if you like?”
He reached down and I took his hand, allowing him to pull me up. My body slammed flush against his and he stepped backwards a pace, dropping my hand like a hot stone. “If I send you back to the cabin, will you stay there?” he asked seriously.
My eyes bugged. “For the rest of my life? Hades no!”
He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Then I have to keep you near me. It’s the only way to keep you safe.”
“Awww…” My voice dripped with sarcasm. “You’re such a good friend, Raife.”
His brows drew together in confusion and I growled. Now it was my turn to pace the room.
“You promised me that after we married, you would bring my aunt here and heal her. Now it’s time to pay up!”
“Now is the worst possible—”
“Raife. It’s time,” I deadpanned. “If you don’t go and get her with me, I’ll go alone.”
His jaw unhinged. “You think I’m going to allow you to go on the mission to retrieve your aunt? Hah. You’re insane.”
I stomped over to him and poked his chest. “You’re insane if you think my aunt would just go into the woods and leave her home and everything she has with some random elves.”
He looked offended. “I’m not a random elf. I’m the king.”
“She doesn’t know that, or the fact that I am your new wife. I haven’t gotten word to her. I’m going, and that’s final. Besides, you will never know what house is hers. That map Autumn drew just gets you into the castle. You need me to find my auntie’s house.”
He chewed his bottom lip. “And if you are captured and killed?”
I shrugged. “Then write Great Friend on my gravestone.”
Again he looked confused. The bastard had no idea.
“Raife, I’m going to see my aunt. End of discussion. I’ve dyed my hair and I’ll wear a hooded cloak. Do you really expect me to live in this bedroom my entire life?”
He thought long and hard about that. “No, which is why I just made it a crime punishable by death to even touch you.”
“What!?” I screeched.
He looked down at me coolly. “If you want to live and travel around at my side, to be my queen, there are going to be rules. One touch and I won’t hesitate to kill them. We have to set a precedent or you’ll be kidnapped and dragged to every cemetery in the land.”
He wasn’t serious, was he?
“You won’t actually kill them for touching me though, right?”
He raised one eyebrow. “If a king shows weakness, he might as well cut his own throat.”
Whoa. Okay. That meant he was serious.
“So I’ll never be touched by anyone ever again? Thanks for that!” I snapped, and stormed over to the corner of the room to inspect the bookshelves.
I heard his footsteps retreat, and then he disappeared into the washroom. I stared at the bed where we’d last made love and groaned. All of these hot and cold messages were driving me insane.
Good friend? You didn’t threaten to kill someone for merely touching a good friend.
The door to the washroom opened and he stepped out, freshly bathed.
I decided then that for my own sanity I needed to know where he stood. Did he truly just see me as a friend whom he kissed once and accidently bedded? Or was there more? I intended to find out right now.
I unzipped my dress, letting it fall to the floor, standing in only my undergarments, which were comprised of a white lace bralette and white panties.
Raife froze, eyes raking over my half naked form. “Wh-what are you doing?” His voice dropped two octaves.
“Hmm?” I asked dismissively, as I pranced across the room giving him a view of my backside.
“You’re… undressing.” He fumbled for words.
I loved the discomfort in his voice. It was layered with something else.
Arousal.
I turned and looked over my shoulder at him. “Yeah, I won’t sleep in my gown.” I laughed.
His eyes narrowed and his lips pursed into a thin line as I turned back away from him and opened my wardrobe. My nightgowns were folded at the bottom so I bent forward, slowly, and grabbed one.
A strangled moan came from behind me and I grinned, pulling the gown out and slipping it over my head.
Gotcha.
“I know what you’re doing,” Raife said accusatorily.
I spun, making my way back to the bed. “I don’t know what you mean.” I shrugged innocently, pulling the hem of my short nightgown.
His eyes thinned to slits. He reached down to the hem of his crisp sleep tunic and pulled it up over his head in one swift move.
Sweet Maker.
I stood there, stunned into silence as he pulled the drawstring of his trousers.
My throat went dry and I had to actively force myself to drag my eyes away from him and keep walking over to the bed. He was trying to play my own game, to seduce me into making a move on him just so he could reject me like before.
Well, screw that.
I slipped into bed, with a grumpy huff, and threw the covers over my face.
Married life sucks.
