Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms 1)

“I am furious that the two of you went to Paelsia against my wishes, but I had no idea that the difficulties between the lands would result in conflict like this. I was visited by King Gaius, who told me that he had Cleo in his grasp.”

Cleo shivered at the memory of the dark-haired boy with the cold, cruel eyes.

“He definitely tried,” Nic said with a nod. “But we got away.”

“Thank the goddess,” the king breathed. “How?”

“Theon,” Nic began, and his voice caught. Despite his previous smooth words, he also fought tears. “He fought Prince Magnus’s men. Killed them so they wouldn’t lay a hand on the princess. Then the prince killed Theon.”

“What?” the king gasped.

“We had no choice but to leave his body on Paelsian soil. We had to flee immediately.”

“I wanted to kill the prince,” Cleo managed. “I had the chance to, but...”

“I wouldn’t let her,” Nic admitted. “If she’d killed Prince Magnus, I knew things would be even worse than they already are.”

The king took this information in. “You were right to stop her. But I understand her desire for vengeance.”

Vengeance. The word sounded so decisive. So final. It was what Jonas wanted when he’d taken her. She’d seen the fiery hate in his eyes for her role in his brother’s death. If this was how he’d felt toward her, she was grateful that she was still alive.

His goal was to put her somewhere Prince Magnus could find her. They were working together to destroy her father. It was a miracle that she’d escaped. A miracle that came at too high a price.

“Cleo, you’re so pale,” the king said with concern.

Nic touched her arm. “She’s still in shock.”

“Do you now see why I didn’t want you to go, daughter? I know you wanted to try to help your sister, but there’s too much at risk right now.”

“I failed.” Her voice broke. “I didn’t find anything to help Emilia. And Theon’s dead because of me.”

He cupped her face and kissed her gently on her forehead. “Go to your chambers and rest. Tomorrow will be better.”

“I thought you’d be so angry with me.”

“I am angry. But to see you alive and well and returned to me is the answer to my prayers. So my happiness that you’re safe is more powerful than any anger. Love is stronger than anger. Love is stronger than hate—stronger than anything. Remember that.”

Nic helped her to her chambers, and he too kissed her forehead before he left her there, tucked into her warm bed. He left her in the dark room and she tried to sleep, but she was plagued by nightmares. One after another, and each of them starring a different dark-haired boy. One, Paelsian and savage, dragging her along a dusty road to lock her in a small, dirty shack. The other cruel and haughty, with a scar on his face and a bloody sword, laughing over the body of Theon.

She woke in the night, sobbing.

“There, there,” a familiar voice soothed. A cool hand brushed her forehead.

“Emilia?” She sat up in her bed, realizing that her sister was with her. The shadows of the room weren’t enough to cover how thin and pale her sister looked or the darkness under her eyes. “What are you doing here? You should be in bed.”

“How could I stay away when I learned that my little sister had finally returned?” Emilia’s face was grave. She climbed into the bed next to Cleo. “Father told me what happened. Cleo, I’m so sorry about Theon.”

Cleo opened her mouth, but no words came for a long time. “It’s my fault.”

“You mustn’t think that.”

“If I hadn’t run away, he wouldn’t have had to come after me. He would still be alive.”

“It was his job to protect you. And he did it. He protected you, Cleo.”

“But he’s gone.” It was only a tiny gasp.

“I know.” Emilia held her as she sobbed, tears that seemed to have no end. “And I know how you feel. When I lost Simon, I thought that it would be the end of me too.”