The Ring Keeper, page 20
“Callonen, I’ve watched you grow all these years, and I’ve come to believe you possess good judgment. Don’t prove me wrong in this.”
Hiding his relief, Callonen promised, “I won’t.” Then he grinned. “You’ll love her.”
Caldoreth nodded. “Very well. The decision is made, and I will support your choice, Son. You should have told me sooner. I would be happy to unite my family with that of my oldest friend.”
Hugging his father, he exclaimed, “Thank you! You won’t regret it!” He bolted out the door. Callonen wanted to run through the halls to find Allia, but he forced himself to maintain a dignified pace. Relief and excitement pulsed through his body. He was free to tell her how he felt about her, to ask her to be his wife. There would be no more secret meetings, no more hiding.
Callonen went directly to the kitchen. Startled by his sudden appearance, Mara dropped her work and stood up straight.
“Prince Callonen,” Mara said, curtsying.
He took both her hands and kissed her cheek. Her eyes widened in shock, and she opened and shut her mouth wordlessly. “It’s done,” he said. “My father and I have reached an agreement. Where is Allia?”
The blood drained from Mara’s face. “She… She… She’s gone, Your Highness. She left early this morning.”
His exhilaration faded at once. “I told you not to send her away!”
“I didn’t, Your Highness.”
“Why did you let her leave? Where did she go?” he demanded.
“She went home to her family farm, Your Highness. If you head east, you might be able to catch up to her.”
Callonen took a deep breath. “Thank you, Mara. I’m sorry I was rude.” He left the kitchens heading for the gates.
Callonen borrowed a cloak from the guardroom and a horse from the stable. With the hood hiding his face and no escort to accompany him, he rode through the gates in the direction Mara had told him.
Soon, he found that there were many people traveling along the road and paths branched off in different directions. He searched for her all day, and when darkness made it impossible to search anymore, he tended to his horse and wrapped himself in the cloak.
Shivering in the chill autumn night, Callonen’s thoughts lingered on Allia. Where was she? Was she safe? Was she cold and hungry?
He promised himself he would make sure she never suffered any of those things again. He had to find her. Impatiently, he waited for dawn.
Allia
AS THE SUN SET, Allia turned aside and settled into a sheltered spot against the trunk of a large tree, up the hill from the road. She sat wrapped in her cloak, eating a cold meal from her bag.
Maybe she should have sought work in the city. The palace couldn’t be the only option. Perhaps one of the shops? Or another household large enough to employ servants? She weighed the options. It would be better to arrange another job if she could. She didn’t relish going back to her brothers after only a few months to confess that she’d made a complete mess of things. Of course, they would tease her and make sure she never forgot her failure.
Returning to the palace was out of the question. Her feelings for Callonen had become too deep. She cared too much, and it would break her heart to see him. She had left for good, and now she’d never see him again.
What had she thought would happen? The emperor was a powerful man, and he expected Callonen to marry the princess. That’s the way it worked. There had never been any real hope that it would turn out differently. Why had she ever let herself fall for him?
She wiped the tears from her cheeks.
A horse’s hooves pounded against the road. She could hear it coming long before the rider appeared around the corner. One man alone. The horse stopped suddenly, and Allia tensed, wondering if she had something to do with it. But no, she was still, silent and hidden. She hadn’t given herself away by moving, and the gray wool of her cloak blended with her surroundings.
The rider seemed familiar, but she couldn’t be sure.
Another horse approached from the other direction, and the two riders met. The man who had been waiting turned his head, and Allia could see him better. It was Callonen! Had he come after her? Her heart leapt.
Firmly, she pushed the feeling down. No. That wasn’t possible.
The two men left the road and steered their mounts into the trees on the far side, disappearing into the foliage.
Allia couldn’t stop herself. She wrapped her cloak closely around herself and followed them. She heard voices long before she could see the men. Their two horses stood relaxed, heads down.
Silently, she crept even closer.
“…the king of Ara sends his gratitude for your aid and is eagerly awaiting your arrival. Our people have been repairing the fortress at Hakvere. Without your help, the whole thing would continue to crumble away. It will take time to repair all the stonework.” Allia didn’t recognize that voice.
“How long will it take?” A very familiar voice asked. Of course it was Haldreth. Callonen coming to find her had only been a daydream.
“I need more money,” the other man said. “If you want it to go faster, I’ll hire more men.”
“You always want more money,” Haldreth sounded irritated. “Take this for now and keep them working. Don’t move forward with our plans until I say so. I’ll take care of things with my father and brother. Then it will be time. Meet me back here at the next full moon to report.”
Allia heard his heavy steps pass her hiding place. She froze, crouched down in the underbrush. He couldn’t see her here.
He came close enough for her to sense him. Her stomach clenched, anticipating his malice and fury. Instead, she felt nothing from him except hopeful anticipation as he moved away. Not daring to look, she heard him mount his horse and ride back toward the city.
When Haldreth was gone, she heard the other man return to his horse and ride in the opposite direction.
Allia spent the night well hidden. After her encounter, she slept little. Haldreth was obviously planning something big. Lots of people were involved in it, not just a single man jealous because he wasn’t destined to receive the throne. There was much more.
She tossed and turned on the cold ground. Callonen didn’t love her, and he never would. But he deserved to be warned, even so. She was very sure he did not know that his brother’s treachery had gone so far, even if he’d believed her warning from the other night. Did he truly understand the danger? What if Haldreth succeeded in murdering Callonen?
But Allia couldn’t ignore what had happened the last time she’d attempted to warn him. He’d allowed everyone to think she had come to his room in the middle of the night only to throw herself at him. How humiliating. He’d gotten all the warning he would get from her, and he probably didn’t believe her anyway.
When the sun finally rose, she was still arguing with herself. But she started walking back toward the city. Carts and wagons passed her on the road, along with a few riders. She doubted whether she’d recognize the man Haldreth had been talking to. It had been dark, and she hadn’t gotten a good look at him.
She stopped, frozen in the middle of the road. Haldreth was coming back, riding directly toward her. And the road ran through open fields just then, with nowhere to hide. How had he found out that she heard?
No. Allia knew they hadn’t seen her last night. Even if they had seen someone, it had been too dark to make out her face. Haldreth couldn’t know she’d overheard.
A powerful urge to flee swept over her, but running would only attract more attention. She kept walking, waiting for him to pass by. As his horse pulled up beside her, relief flooded through her as she realized it was Callonen.
He jumped to the ground. “Allia?”
She felt the sharp prick of sorrow. “Your Highness,” she said coolly, curtsying.
“Allia, please. I must speak with you.”
Callonen. It really was him, but she couldn’t believe it. “It can’t be you,” she muttered, shaking her head.
“Why can’t it be me?” He seemed confused.
“Prince Haldreth traveled this road last night, and Prince Callonen is in the city with Princess Elena.” She couldn’t get her mind to catch up to her eyes.
“My brother was here? He was scheduled to visit the estates of several of our friends out near the Warding. Allia, can we please talk? I came to beg your forgiveness. I’m so very sorry about my behavior. Would you allow me to explain?”
His brown eyes were earnest as he looked at her. It was really Callonen. And he’d come to apologize to her? “I don’t expect an apology,” she said. “You’re going to marry Elena. That’s what your father wants. I know you have to get married. Don’t worry. I understand. I only came back to tell you something important.”
“Wait! Before you do, can I explain?” He reached for her hand and held it.
She felt tears welling in her eyes and willed them to disappear. Having him so close made her want him closer still, and—
He loved her. All of his doubts had disappeared. She could sense the overwhelming feeling clearly, and it took her breath away.
“I’m sorry I didn’t defend you when you came to my room. I know you had nothing in mind but my safety, and I’m so grateful you care enough to come to me with something like that. But I violated your trust by not defending you.”
“Elena was angry when she saw me, and I’m sure your father was too when he found out.”
“They were both angry—”
Allia pulled her hand from his and turned away again.
He reached out and took it back. “They were angry because I told Elena I couldn’t marry her since I was already in love with you.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
Year of Warding 21, Sarine’s Countryside
Allia
ALLIA STOOD STILL in the middle of the road and stared at Callonen, positive that she had heard him wrong. “You said… what?”
“Elena was upset because she saw the way I looked at you. She could tell that I cared for you deeply and was jealous. When she saw how much I wanted you, she lost all interest in me.”
“Why didn’t you tell her we were only friends? I didn’t mean to cause trouble for you. I’m sorry, Callonen. If you explained the whole thing to her, she would forgive you. Why didn’t you?”
“Because what she said was true. When I look at you, I can’t think of anything else. I could never feel for her the way I feel for you.”
“But that only makes it worse,” Allia exclaimed, the traitorous tears spilling over and running down her cheeks. “You have to marry her! Your father is still the emperor.”
“He’s my father first. And I’m going to rule after him. I told him I needed you, that I never wanted to marry anyone but you.”
Allia looked up at him in disbelief. “And then he threw you out for defying him?”
Callonen smiled and brushed her tears away with gentle fingers. “No. He can’t, and he knows it. I made him agree with me in the end. He will support my choice.”
She still stared back at him with her mind spinning in circles. Callonen bent to one knee. “Allia, will you please do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
His wife.
Callonen was on one knee before her, asking her to marry him. Shock bound her tongue. She stared at him in disbelief as the silence grew longer.
“I—”
“Please say that you’ll forgive me? I will defend you for the rest of my life. Please?”
She reached down and touched the side of his face. “Yes,” she found her voice at last. “I will.” She threw her arms around him. “I will!”
He laughed and got to his feet, still holding her. “You said yes!” He sounded amazed.
Allia had waited and dreamed of this moment, thinking it would never come. She smiled at him, and he pulled her close and brought his lips to hers. She tangled her fingers in his hair and kissed him. His mouth was warm and wonderful.
Finally, he took a breath. “Can you forgive me?” he asked again.
“I forgive you,” she murmured, her lips against his ear. “But please tell me why you didn’t say anything.”
“When Elena saw you there in your nightclothes, and she assumed that you—that we—”
Allia shook her head. “I know how it must have appeared, and I wouldn’t have done it if I hadn’t heard—”
“I need you to tell me everything you found out about my brother. And I promise I’ll listen, but let me finish first. The truth is, I hadn’t been sleeping when you came. I’d been lying awake thinking of you, and when I saw you there, you looked so beautiful. I wished with all my heart that you had been sneaking to my door to see me. Elena could tell how much I wanted you. It didn’t matter what I said to her, she could see it. And I knew it was time to tell her the truth, and my father. But I’m so sorry I hurt you. I should have defended you anyway. I didn’t mean for you to feel that I didn’t care.”
He kissed her again. “Forgive me?” he whispered, his lips still pressed against hers.
“Yes,” she murmured breathlessly.
“Good,” he grinned. “Now tell me about my brother.”
They headed back toward the city at a slow walk, hand in hand with Callonen leading the horse, while Allia explained what she’d heard and experienced.
“How is it possible?” Callonen asked. “My brother told everyone he would be away, taking care of business with some of the noble families. How does my father not know what he’s really doing?”
“I’m not making this up!”
“I’m sorry,” he said. “Of course, I didn’t mean that I don’t believe you. I believe everything you told me. It just seems my father should already know about this.”
“And you don’t think he does?”
“No.” Callonen shook his head. “He would have told me.”
“What can we do?”
“I’ll talk to him alone when we get back and explain everything.”
“Do you think he’ll believe you? He has no reason to trust me. What are we going to do if he doesn’t?”
Callonen knit his brows in deep thought. “We need to find some sort of evidence. This is a very serious accusation. I want to know how Haldreth can trick the magic. My father should be able to sense any treachery. It’s part of the Warding.”
That meant someday Callonen would be able to sense his subjects’ intentions too. That would be a heavy weight to carry. But maybe she could help him carry it, especially since she had some understanding of it herself. But in the meantime, they had to keep him safe. “Please promise me you won’t trust Haldreth anymore, not for a moment.”
“I promise,” Callonen said.
“Don’t give him any opportunity to hurt you. You can’t put yourself in danger, and you shouldn’t have come out here alone. He was just here last night, and he has several people working with him. If he should get them to ambush you—”
Callonen squeezed her hand reassuringly. “He doesn’t know I’m out here. I didn’t tell anyone I left the city.”
“Aren’t they looking for you?”
He looked a little guilty. “I didn’t think about anything but finding you and begging you to forgive me. And besides, if there were a troop of violent men waiting to attack, I’m sure my father could tell.”
“That doesn’t mean he could get here in time to stop them,” Allia pointed out.
“All right then,” he conceded, “We’ll go back.” He mounted the horse and offered his hand. She took it, and he pulled her up behind him. She slid her arms around his waist.
Allia hadn’t even imagined what it would feel like to be so close to him, to feel the warmth of his body through his shirt. And she could feel his love. He wanted to be with her. She meant more to him than anything else. Her eyes welled with tears. She’d never expected to be so happy.
Their ride back to the city was the longest time they had been truly alone together, and Allia enjoyed it completely. No one could interrupt them, and no errand could call Callonen away from her side.
“We should turn around and ride away,” he said. “No one would ever know what happened to us. We’d see the world together.”
The idea tempted her more than she’d like to admit. But so many people depended on him—everyone who lived in Sarine. Callonen could not throw his duty aside so lightly. He had promised his father.
Allia said, “You wouldn’t really do it.” She gave him a quick kiss on the back of his neck.
“Right now, I wish I could,” he said.
“And I would go with you,” Allia said. “But you wouldn’t leave Sarine to your brother.”
“No. I will keep the Warding.”
They rode in silence for a few moments until Allia laughed.
“What is it?”
“How long has it been since you’ve eaten? I can feel your stomach growling.”
“Breakfast… yesterday,” he admitted. “I left without bringing anything with me. I was in a hurry to find you.”
“That’s very sweet,” she laughed, “But not very practical. I have bread and cheese in my bag.”
Stopping beside the road, they sat together on the grass and shared a simple meal.
They spent all that day together, and it was the best day of her life. Callonen didn’t ride as fast as he might have, but she knew he dared not delay too long.
“I don’t want to go back yet,” Callonen confessed. “I love being out here with you.”
All too soon, Callonen and Allia came within sight of the city. He took his cloak from behind the saddle and put it on as they rode. They entered the gates without being questioned and rode up the hill to the palace.
Outside, they dismounted and walked hand in hand through the doors, Callonen with his hood up and his head down. They passed most of the guards without being questioned, but then Captain Talon stepped deliberately in front of Callonen, forcing him to look up.
Allia held her breath and clutched Callonen’s hand. Up close, grimfaced and bristling with weapons, Talon was thoroughly intimidating.
But Callonen only smiled, looking up to give Talon a clear view of his face.
Hiding his relief, Callonen promised, “I won’t.” Then he grinned. “You’ll love her.”
Caldoreth nodded. “Very well. The decision is made, and I will support your choice, Son. You should have told me sooner. I would be happy to unite my family with that of my oldest friend.”
Hugging his father, he exclaimed, “Thank you! You won’t regret it!” He bolted out the door. Callonen wanted to run through the halls to find Allia, but he forced himself to maintain a dignified pace. Relief and excitement pulsed through his body. He was free to tell her how he felt about her, to ask her to be his wife. There would be no more secret meetings, no more hiding.
Callonen went directly to the kitchen. Startled by his sudden appearance, Mara dropped her work and stood up straight.
“Prince Callonen,” Mara said, curtsying.
He took both her hands and kissed her cheek. Her eyes widened in shock, and she opened and shut her mouth wordlessly. “It’s done,” he said. “My father and I have reached an agreement. Where is Allia?”
The blood drained from Mara’s face. “She… She… She’s gone, Your Highness. She left early this morning.”
His exhilaration faded at once. “I told you not to send her away!”
“I didn’t, Your Highness.”
“Why did you let her leave? Where did she go?” he demanded.
“She went home to her family farm, Your Highness. If you head east, you might be able to catch up to her.”
Callonen took a deep breath. “Thank you, Mara. I’m sorry I was rude.” He left the kitchens heading for the gates.
Callonen borrowed a cloak from the guardroom and a horse from the stable. With the hood hiding his face and no escort to accompany him, he rode through the gates in the direction Mara had told him.
Soon, he found that there were many people traveling along the road and paths branched off in different directions. He searched for her all day, and when darkness made it impossible to search anymore, he tended to his horse and wrapped himself in the cloak.
Shivering in the chill autumn night, Callonen’s thoughts lingered on Allia. Where was she? Was she safe? Was she cold and hungry?
He promised himself he would make sure she never suffered any of those things again. He had to find her. Impatiently, he waited for dawn.
Allia
AS THE SUN SET, Allia turned aside and settled into a sheltered spot against the trunk of a large tree, up the hill from the road. She sat wrapped in her cloak, eating a cold meal from her bag.
Maybe she should have sought work in the city. The palace couldn’t be the only option. Perhaps one of the shops? Or another household large enough to employ servants? She weighed the options. It would be better to arrange another job if she could. She didn’t relish going back to her brothers after only a few months to confess that she’d made a complete mess of things. Of course, they would tease her and make sure she never forgot her failure.
Returning to the palace was out of the question. Her feelings for Callonen had become too deep. She cared too much, and it would break her heart to see him. She had left for good, and now she’d never see him again.
What had she thought would happen? The emperor was a powerful man, and he expected Callonen to marry the princess. That’s the way it worked. There had never been any real hope that it would turn out differently. Why had she ever let herself fall for him?
She wiped the tears from her cheeks.
A horse’s hooves pounded against the road. She could hear it coming long before the rider appeared around the corner. One man alone. The horse stopped suddenly, and Allia tensed, wondering if she had something to do with it. But no, she was still, silent and hidden. She hadn’t given herself away by moving, and the gray wool of her cloak blended with her surroundings.
The rider seemed familiar, but she couldn’t be sure.
Another horse approached from the other direction, and the two riders met. The man who had been waiting turned his head, and Allia could see him better. It was Callonen! Had he come after her? Her heart leapt.
Firmly, she pushed the feeling down. No. That wasn’t possible.
The two men left the road and steered their mounts into the trees on the far side, disappearing into the foliage.
Allia couldn’t stop herself. She wrapped her cloak closely around herself and followed them. She heard voices long before she could see the men. Their two horses stood relaxed, heads down.
Silently, she crept even closer.
“…the king of Ara sends his gratitude for your aid and is eagerly awaiting your arrival. Our people have been repairing the fortress at Hakvere. Without your help, the whole thing would continue to crumble away. It will take time to repair all the stonework.” Allia didn’t recognize that voice.
“How long will it take?” A very familiar voice asked. Of course it was Haldreth. Callonen coming to find her had only been a daydream.
“I need more money,” the other man said. “If you want it to go faster, I’ll hire more men.”
“You always want more money,” Haldreth sounded irritated. “Take this for now and keep them working. Don’t move forward with our plans until I say so. I’ll take care of things with my father and brother. Then it will be time. Meet me back here at the next full moon to report.”
Allia heard his heavy steps pass her hiding place. She froze, crouched down in the underbrush. He couldn’t see her here.
He came close enough for her to sense him. Her stomach clenched, anticipating his malice and fury. Instead, she felt nothing from him except hopeful anticipation as he moved away. Not daring to look, she heard him mount his horse and ride back toward the city.
When Haldreth was gone, she heard the other man return to his horse and ride in the opposite direction.
Allia spent the night well hidden. After her encounter, she slept little. Haldreth was obviously planning something big. Lots of people were involved in it, not just a single man jealous because he wasn’t destined to receive the throne. There was much more.
She tossed and turned on the cold ground. Callonen didn’t love her, and he never would. But he deserved to be warned, even so. She was very sure he did not know that his brother’s treachery had gone so far, even if he’d believed her warning from the other night. Did he truly understand the danger? What if Haldreth succeeded in murdering Callonen?
But Allia couldn’t ignore what had happened the last time she’d attempted to warn him. He’d allowed everyone to think she had come to his room in the middle of the night only to throw herself at him. How humiliating. He’d gotten all the warning he would get from her, and he probably didn’t believe her anyway.
When the sun finally rose, she was still arguing with herself. But she started walking back toward the city. Carts and wagons passed her on the road, along with a few riders. She doubted whether she’d recognize the man Haldreth had been talking to. It had been dark, and she hadn’t gotten a good look at him.
She stopped, frozen in the middle of the road. Haldreth was coming back, riding directly toward her. And the road ran through open fields just then, with nowhere to hide. How had he found out that she heard?
No. Allia knew they hadn’t seen her last night. Even if they had seen someone, it had been too dark to make out her face. Haldreth couldn’t know she’d overheard.
A powerful urge to flee swept over her, but running would only attract more attention. She kept walking, waiting for him to pass by. As his horse pulled up beside her, relief flooded through her as she realized it was Callonen.
He jumped to the ground. “Allia?”
She felt the sharp prick of sorrow. “Your Highness,” she said coolly, curtsying.
“Allia, please. I must speak with you.”
Callonen. It really was him, but she couldn’t believe it. “It can’t be you,” she muttered, shaking her head.
“Why can’t it be me?” He seemed confused.
“Prince Haldreth traveled this road last night, and Prince Callonen is in the city with Princess Elena.” She couldn’t get her mind to catch up to her eyes.
“My brother was here? He was scheduled to visit the estates of several of our friends out near the Warding. Allia, can we please talk? I came to beg your forgiveness. I’m so very sorry about my behavior. Would you allow me to explain?”
His brown eyes were earnest as he looked at her. It was really Callonen. And he’d come to apologize to her? “I don’t expect an apology,” she said. “You’re going to marry Elena. That’s what your father wants. I know you have to get married. Don’t worry. I understand. I only came back to tell you something important.”
“Wait! Before you do, can I explain?” He reached for her hand and held it.
She felt tears welling in her eyes and willed them to disappear. Having him so close made her want him closer still, and—
He loved her. All of his doubts had disappeared. She could sense the overwhelming feeling clearly, and it took her breath away.
“I’m sorry I didn’t defend you when you came to my room. I know you had nothing in mind but my safety, and I’m so grateful you care enough to come to me with something like that. But I violated your trust by not defending you.”
“Elena was angry when she saw me, and I’m sure your father was too when he found out.”
“They were both angry—”
Allia pulled her hand from his and turned away again.
He reached out and took it back. “They were angry because I told Elena I couldn’t marry her since I was already in love with you.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
Year of Warding 21, Sarine’s Countryside
Allia
ALLIA STOOD STILL in the middle of the road and stared at Callonen, positive that she had heard him wrong. “You said… what?”
“Elena was upset because she saw the way I looked at you. She could tell that I cared for you deeply and was jealous. When she saw how much I wanted you, she lost all interest in me.”
“Why didn’t you tell her we were only friends? I didn’t mean to cause trouble for you. I’m sorry, Callonen. If you explained the whole thing to her, she would forgive you. Why didn’t you?”
“Because what she said was true. When I look at you, I can’t think of anything else. I could never feel for her the way I feel for you.”
“But that only makes it worse,” Allia exclaimed, the traitorous tears spilling over and running down her cheeks. “You have to marry her! Your father is still the emperor.”
“He’s my father first. And I’m going to rule after him. I told him I needed you, that I never wanted to marry anyone but you.”
Allia looked up at him in disbelief. “And then he threw you out for defying him?”
Callonen smiled and brushed her tears away with gentle fingers. “No. He can’t, and he knows it. I made him agree with me in the end. He will support my choice.”
She still stared back at him with her mind spinning in circles. Callonen bent to one knee. “Allia, will you please do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
His wife.
Callonen was on one knee before her, asking her to marry him. Shock bound her tongue. She stared at him in disbelief as the silence grew longer.
“I—”
“Please say that you’ll forgive me? I will defend you for the rest of my life. Please?”
She reached down and touched the side of his face. “Yes,” she found her voice at last. “I will.” She threw her arms around him. “I will!”
He laughed and got to his feet, still holding her. “You said yes!” He sounded amazed.
Allia had waited and dreamed of this moment, thinking it would never come. She smiled at him, and he pulled her close and brought his lips to hers. She tangled her fingers in his hair and kissed him. His mouth was warm and wonderful.
Finally, he took a breath. “Can you forgive me?” he asked again.
“I forgive you,” she murmured, her lips against his ear. “But please tell me why you didn’t say anything.”
“When Elena saw you there in your nightclothes, and she assumed that you—that we—”
Allia shook her head. “I know how it must have appeared, and I wouldn’t have done it if I hadn’t heard—”
“I need you to tell me everything you found out about my brother. And I promise I’ll listen, but let me finish first. The truth is, I hadn’t been sleeping when you came. I’d been lying awake thinking of you, and when I saw you there, you looked so beautiful. I wished with all my heart that you had been sneaking to my door to see me. Elena could tell how much I wanted you. It didn’t matter what I said to her, she could see it. And I knew it was time to tell her the truth, and my father. But I’m so sorry I hurt you. I should have defended you anyway. I didn’t mean for you to feel that I didn’t care.”
He kissed her again. “Forgive me?” he whispered, his lips still pressed against hers.
“Yes,” she murmured breathlessly.
“Good,” he grinned. “Now tell me about my brother.”
They headed back toward the city at a slow walk, hand in hand with Callonen leading the horse, while Allia explained what she’d heard and experienced.
“How is it possible?” Callonen asked. “My brother told everyone he would be away, taking care of business with some of the noble families. How does my father not know what he’s really doing?”
“I’m not making this up!”
“I’m sorry,” he said. “Of course, I didn’t mean that I don’t believe you. I believe everything you told me. It just seems my father should already know about this.”
“And you don’t think he does?”
“No.” Callonen shook his head. “He would have told me.”
“What can we do?”
“I’ll talk to him alone when we get back and explain everything.”
“Do you think he’ll believe you? He has no reason to trust me. What are we going to do if he doesn’t?”
Callonen knit his brows in deep thought. “We need to find some sort of evidence. This is a very serious accusation. I want to know how Haldreth can trick the magic. My father should be able to sense any treachery. It’s part of the Warding.”
That meant someday Callonen would be able to sense his subjects’ intentions too. That would be a heavy weight to carry. But maybe she could help him carry it, especially since she had some understanding of it herself. But in the meantime, they had to keep him safe. “Please promise me you won’t trust Haldreth anymore, not for a moment.”
“I promise,” Callonen said.
“Don’t give him any opportunity to hurt you. You can’t put yourself in danger, and you shouldn’t have come out here alone. He was just here last night, and he has several people working with him. If he should get them to ambush you—”
Callonen squeezed her hand reassuringly. “He doesn’t know I’m out here. I didn’t tell anyone I left the city.”
“Aren’t they looking for you?”
He looked a little guilty. “I didn’t think about anything but finding you and begging you to forgive me. And besides, if there were a troop of violent men waiting to attack, I’m sure my father could tell.”
“That doesn’t mean he could get here in time to stop them,” Allia pointed out.
“All right then,” he conceded, “We’ll go back.” He mounted the horse and offered his hand. She took it, and he pulled her up behind him. She slid her arms around his waist.
Allia hadn’t even imagined what it would feel like to be so close to him, to feel the warmth of his body through his shirt. And she could feel his love. He wanted to be with her. She meant more to him than anything else. Her eyes welled with tears. She’d never expected to be so happy.
Their ride back to the city was the longest time they had been truly alone together, and Allia enjoyed it completely. No one could interrupt them, and no errand could call Callonen away from her side.
“We should turn around and ride away,” he said. “No one would ever know what happened to us. We’d see the world together.”
The idea tempted her more than she’d like to admit. But so many people depended on him—everyone who lived in Sarine. Callonen could not throw his duty aside so lightly. He had promised his father.
Allia said, “You wouldn’t really do it.” She gave him a quick kiss on the back of his neck.
“Right now, I wish I could,” he said.
“And I would go with you,” Allia said. “But you wouldn’t leave Sarine to your brother.”
“No. I will keep the Warding.”
They rode in silence for a few moments until Allia laughed.
“What is it?”
“How long has it been since you’ve eaten? I can feel your stomach growling.”
“Breakfast… yesterday,” he admitted. “I left without bringing anything with me. I was in a hurry to find you.”
“That’s very sweet,” she laughed, “But not very practical. I have bread and cheese in my bag.”
Stopping beside the road, they sat together on the grass and shared a simple meal.
They spent all that day together, and it was the best day of her life. Callonen didn’t ride as fast as he might have, but she knew he dared not delay too long.
“I don’t want to go back yet,” Callonen confessed. “I love being out here with you.”
All too soon, Callonen and Allia came within sight of the city. He took his cloak from behind the saddle and put it on as they rode. They entered the gates without being questioned and rode up the hill to the palace.
Outside, they dismounted and walked hand in hand through the doors, Callonen with his hood up and his head down. They passed most of the guards without being questioned, but then Captain Talon stepped deliberately in front of Callonen, forcing him to look up.
Allia held her breath and clutched Callonen’s hand. Up close, grimfaced and bristling with weapons, Talon was thoroughly intimidating.
But Callonen only smiled, looking up to give Talon a clear view of his face.
