Tower of Tempest: A Steamy Fantasy Romance (Stolen Crowns Book 3)

Chapter 40

The carriage hit a bump, and my body lifted briefly from the cushioned seat. Leoni and Loch both dozed in the seat across from us while Driscoll sat next to me. After Emory told her husband that Lochlan Aster, the prince of the water court, was in need of a carriage, he insisted on sending his personal driver with us on our journey. Emory had kept the details vague, brief, telling him the playboy prince wanted to see more of the sky court and was in need of a nice carriage. Emory had been right. Her husband was eager to assist, excited that he could provide something of use for a prince. His driver was instructed to take us all the way to Winged, where he’d drop us off and then return to Winded.

We’d been traveling for three days now, stopping at night to sleep wherever we could find shelter, then riding during the day. We had to stop often to give the horses breaks and to stretch our legs, but this was far better than our journey on foot from Winged to Winded.

Loch’s head tilted toward his shoulder, his chest rising and falling with each breath he took, eyes closed. We’d barely spoken over the last few days, even though there was so much we needed to talk about. After what had happened on that balcony... after his arrest... my mother’s death...

Rolling green hills whizzed past us as the carriage bumped along the stone road.

I wasn’t sure I wanted to talk to Loch. He’d been acting odd, not his teasing, smiling self, more distant. He’d even pulled me aside the other night, asking if we could talk, but then Driscoll had interrupted us, and we’d never gotten a chance. Whatever he wanted to say, I had a feeling it wasn’t good.

Everything in my life was falling apart.

I couldn’t save my mother, couldn’t use my magic, couldn’t even convince my own father I was his daughter, and I certainly couldn’t be his heir. Saestra might not have wanted to be queen, but she was raised for the role, not me. Who would ever take me seriously? A girl trapped in a tower my entire life? And Gran. I’d always known she was keeping things from me, but to keep that big of a secret? Just another half truth. She’d always said my mother didn’t want me, had given me up. She’d been right, in a twisted sort of way.

I twined the necklace around a finger.

After all I’d done for Gran, it hadn’t been enough. I stayed by her side through everything, and she still didn’t think me worthy enough to tell me the truth about her past.

So no, I didn’t want to talk to Loch because it was just going to be another disappointment, another person telling me I wasn’t enough.

I had nothing to offer him, nothing that would make the infamous playboy prince want to give up his bachelor life and settle down. Leoni let out a loud snore, then settled back into sleep.

Loch was kindhearted, hated conflict of any kind, so I was sure he’d been avoiding this conversation, dreading it as much as I was. My mood darkened into a whirling storm of anger, sadness, and doubt.

“Prince Lochlan’s chest is very impressive, I’ll admit, but you’ve been staring at it for a record amount of time,” Driscoll said from next to me. “I don’t even think you’ve blinked.” He waved a hand in front of my face, and I swatted at it.

“I’m not staring,” I said.

He gave me a cheeky grin. “If you say so.”

I scowled at him, face flushing. “I just have a lot on my mind.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Wanna talk about it?”

I gazed out the window at the sheep grazing in the grass. The sun hung bright in the sky, its rays warming our carriage and making it comfortable against the chilly wind.

“Nothing is going right.” I dropped the necklace and it thudded against my chest. “My entire life feels like it’s falling to pieces, and everything between me and Loch has become so complicated after...”

After the balcony.

“Oh.” Driscoll’s tone darkened, and he scratched his head. “Yeah, I know that’s been weighing on him.”

I stiffened. “He told you about it?”

“I’ve known since it happened.”

When had the prince had time to tell Driscoll about our night together?

Driscoll shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. “It’s been really rough on Prince Lochlan, and he didn’t want to burden you with the truth.”

Rough. Our night together on the balcony was rough. He made me feel things I’d never felt before, and it was hard on him? Unbelievable.

“He’s wanted to tell you for a while, but I think he was scared,” Driscoll continued.

Outwardly, I bristled, but inwardly, my heart splintered. “Well, he needs to just be honest with me.”

Driscoll sighed. “I know, that’s what Leoni and I told him. But you know Prince Lochlan. He hates conflict.”

I wanted to spring from the carriage and run away. Better yet, spread my wings and fly. My instincts had been right, then. Whatever Loch had wanted to talk to me about, it wasn’t good.

Driscoll’s eyes narrowed. “Wait a minute. How much has he told you?”

I reeled back. “He hasn’t told me nearly as much as you, apparently. He told me that we needed to talk, and I knew something was off, that whatever he had to say couldn’t be good.”

Driscoll paled. “Oh fuck. I’ve said too much.”

“No you haven’t. You’ve given me a lot of clarity.”

He cleared his throat and shot an anxious glance at the still-sleeping Loch. “Prince Lochlan will talk to you in his own time. When he’s ready.”

If I knew Loch as well as I thought I did, he would be dreading this conversation. Unless he didn’t have to have it. Unless I made it easy on him.

After all this time, I’d finally found something I could offer him: a way out.

“So you won’t tell him about this little chat between us? About what I told you?” Driscoll asked with a nervous laugh.

“No,” I said. I wouldn’t have a chance to. I’d leave tonight, and the playboy prince would never have to worry about me again.