“Princess, I…”
“Yes?” Please talk to me.
“I wish that the world was different. I dream of a place where these burdens don’t exist.”
“And what of your mother?”
“What do you mean?” His hand tightened against me, and I knew he didn’t want to talk about her.
“What is the world like where she lives?”
“I… I don’t know.”
My mark burned against my skin as he spoke of her.
“But I can’t imagine that it could be the same as Citlali.”
There was so much power in his voice, and my marks burned in warning. Was he lying?
“Do you miss her?”
“Do you miss yours?” he countered quickly.
“Sometimes.” I shrugged. “When I’m with Gavril or the queen. When I’m longing for a home I barely knew.”
“And when you’re with me?”
“I don’t think of her at all.”
His breath rushed out against the back of my neck, and I feared that I had said too much.
“You would have made a great king, Evren.”
Jorah’s gaze slammed into mine as I spoke, and I feared that he could hear every word that was said between us.
“We should stop here.” Jorah nodded to a cropping of trees that lay near a small brook. “The night will fall soon.”
Evren nodded in agreement and led us over to the trees. He dismounted before helping me down, and I wrapped my arms around myself as I thought of what was to come. One more night. We had one more night before we were to make it to Nabál.
“We will arrive tomorrow?”
“We shall.” Jorah nodded as he tied his mare near the water. “It’s just another day’s ride.”
Evren pulled things from the saddlebags as he looked over at me. He knew what tomorrow meant as well. I could feel it like a bad omen against my marks.
I wasn’t ready to face it, and neither was he.
“What did your word to Gavril say?”
“What?” Evren asked as he dropped a bedroll onto the ground.
“You said you sent word back to the palace. What did it say?”
“What does it matter, princess?” He cocked his head to the side as he watched me. “What did you want me to say?”
“I don’t know.” I shook my head, and Evren stepped toward me.
“Did you want me to tell them that you were captured by the vampyres? That I was going to have to go to the Blood Court and fight for you? That you may never be seen again?”