He fisted his hands at his sides. “Why didn’t you tell me this?”
His mother turned her head at his sharp and angry tone, her expression patient. “Because I knew you would only be disappointed. I know how deeply you love your sister.”
There was something in the way she said it. Did the queen know Magnus’s dark secret as Lucia did?
He wished that they might wipe the slate clean. To return to how it was when everything was simpler between them. To start again.
Impossible.
“I don’t remember waking before,” Lucia said, confused, as she pushed herself up to a sitting position.
“You still should have told me, Mother,” Magnus growled. “And told Father, too.”
“And risk one of his rages when she slipped away yet again? No, my son. I certainly shouldn’t have. We will see how this goes, if she stays with us this time, before we say a single word about it to him.”
“I will stay awake,” Lucia insisted.
“Go now,” the queen said, standing up and squeezing Magnus’s hands in her own. “I’ll attend to my daughter.”
“But, Mother—”
“Go,” she said, her tone firm. “And say nothing to the king until I tell you otherwise.”
The anger that had risen inside him that his mother would keep such secrets from him hadn’t yet lessened, but he did understand why she’d chosen to do so. After all, he would have done exactly the same to protect Lucia.
“Fine.” The word was uttered through clenched teeth. “But I will come back.”
“Of course you will. You’ve never been able to stay away from her for long. She’s the only one you’ve ever truly cared about, isn’t she?”
A muscle in his scarred cheek twitched. “Wrong, Mother. I cared about you. And I could again, if you let me.”
His words had succeeded in bringing a glistening to the queen’s eyes, but her only reply was a shallow nod. He shifted his gaze to Lucia. “I’ll return soon. I promise. Please . . . don’t fall asleep again.”
Then he left them alone just as the queen commanded.
Chapter 12
LUCIA
AURANOS
The majesty of the room around her took Lucia’s breath away. Compared to her more austere chambers in the Limerian palace, this was the very definition of luxury. The floors and walls shone as if set with precious metals. The breeze from the open balcony window was warm, not frigid. The canopied bed was soft, covered in imported fabrics that were colorful and silky, with fur throws that were pure white and as soft and warm as Hana’s pelt.
So very strange—it was as if she was still dreaming.
Dreaming.
Alexius . . .
At first, she thought it had been him sitting vigil at her bedside as she woke. But Alexius’s hair was bronze, not black. His eyes golden and full of joy, not dark brown and pained. She hoped Magnus had not seen the disappointment in her own eyes that it was he she saw, not the boy from her dreams.
The queen sat back down on the edge of the bed and pressed her cool hand to Lucia’s forehead. “How are you feeling, my darling? Thirsty?”
Lucia nodded. “I don’t remember waking before. But you say I did?”
“Yes. Twice. But it was only for a moment.”
“Only a moment . . . not like this?”