Gathering Darkness (Falling Kingdoms 3)

She grinned, feeling both wicked and happy. Who knew she could feel both ways at the same time? “I can accept that kind of danger.”

A bronze lock of hair fell across his forehead. “I should remind you that I am mortal now. I can be murdered by angry kings who find their innocent daughters in bed with their tutors.”

Lucia raised an eyebrow, her grin widening. “We have to make sure he never finds out.”

Alexius pushed her onto her back, holding her arms out to either side of her. “Marry me.”

Her breath caught in her chest. “What?”

“You heard me. If we ran away and got married, the king wouldn’t have much to say other than congratulations.”

He had no idea what—and how much—he was asking of her, especially when considering how it would affect her family. “My father might still kill you.”

“It’s a chance I’m willing to take.” He grinned at her stunned expression. “What? You said you loved me. You’ve just shared yourself with me in the most intimate way possible, wholeheartedly and without regrets.”

She shook her head before he could take her look of trepidation the wrong way. “You’re right. I love you—I do. I’m just . . . There’s so much going on right now. . . .” Her head swam with all of her troubles, all of her doubts. “I can’t forget about what happened with Cleo. I—I’m better now, I am. I know I overreacted.” A shadow fell over her as he touched her cheek, tracing the line down to her chin. “But I still don’t trust any of them. I know they want to use me. They’ll never let me go.”

A flash of worry crossed his gaze. “I think you’re right. There are probably many who would use someone with your abilities, your prophecy. You must be careful.”

His confirmation surprised her. “Alexius, I should have told you this already, but I did the spell again, by myself, to awaken the last crystal.”

He went very quiet. “What?”

“I know you wanted to be there, but I succeeded on my own. With no problems,” she lied.

A shadow crossed his expression. “I asked you to wait, princess.”

“I know you did. But everything is fine. The spell worked perfectly. The water Kindred is waiting to be claimed as we speak.”

He let out a long breath, his face still set in stern lines. “Very well, it’s done. Tell me where you awakened it.”

“The Temple of Valoria.” She didn’t see any flicker of surprise in his eyes, which told her she was right. The temple was without a doubt Melenia’s fourth place of power.

It all made sense. On the maps she’d seen her father studying, the Imperial Road terminated close to the temple.

“There’s been no disaster there,” Alexius said. “No blood has been spilled. And yet you believe this is the place.”

“I’m certain it is,” she said. But then a shadow of worry clouded over her confidence. “I shared this information with Cleo, to get a reaction. To see in her eyes proof that she’d been the one to betray us.”

“And if she does, and her rebel friend, Jonas, claims the crystal?”

“Then I’ll steal it back.” As soon as she said it, she felt the truth of her conviction. Her doubts disappeared again.

“Good.” A smile played at his lips before his gaze grew pensive. “The Temple of Valoria is an excellent place for other important events as well, I think.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s the perfect place for us to be married.”

She couldn’t help but laugh at his persistence. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

“Of course I am. Unless you were waiting for an official betrothal to a lord, that is. I’m not sure a lowly tutor could ever compete with that.”

She wanted Alexius more than any lord who’d ever existed. “You’re impossible.”

He took her face in his hands again. “Say it. Say we can run away to Limeros today to be married and claim the last crystal as ours, and no one has to know until we want them to.”

Today? She stared at him, a million thoughts racing through her mind. A million doubts, a million questions, all swirling about into a storm of confusion.