Whisper of War and Storms (Heirs of Elydor #1)

Chapter 31

31

MEV

My relief at seeing Kael in the throne room almost had me running to him, tossing my arms around him and refusing to let go. He appeared tired but otherwise healthy, if not extremely confused.

“You look well,” I said, giving him a wide berth since I didn’t trust myself not to break down completely. It was one thing to hear my father’s story and learn about Kael’s part in my mother’s abduction, but it was quite another to see him standing before me.

I stood beside my father, folded my hands in front of me, and waited, though I didn’t know for what, exactly. There was nothing he could say to excuse the facts he’d left out. Kael must have known my father would tell me. He could have explained. Should have explained.

“I arrived last eve,” he said, reminding me of the emotionless and reticent man I’d first met.

I looked sharply at my father. He’d promised to send for me the moment Kael arrived.

“Why are you here, Prince Kael?”

My father’s tone was the opposite of how he’d spoken to me. Each word was harder, more unforgiving, than the one before it.

“Because I love your daughter.”

My knees nearly buckled. I’d hardly slept, worry and anger warring inside me.

“You do not love me,” I countered. “If you had, I’d have known before my father told me that it was you who stole the Wind Crystal, enabling your father to close the portal. I’d have known you were the one to allow your father entry to the Temple.” My anger rose with each word. “Were you the one to bind her hands? Push her through?”

His jaw ticked, but otherwise Kael offered no reaction to my words.

“I wanted to tell you.”

“ Wanted to tell me? You spoke of trust and yet kept that from me? You are a hypocrite, Kael of Gyoria. Do you have that word here? If not, I am happy to tell you what it means.”

Every word that came from my mouth was more venomous than the last. I had no excuse except a broken heart. When my father told me how he’d opened the Gate, and how Kael’s father had closed it—by imprisoning an Aetherian mage and forcing secrets from her—I had been properly mortified. Even more so to learn his role in it all.

Say something, Kael. Say something that will fix it. Show me you are the man I thought you were.

Silence.

“I would thank you for returning my daughter to me,” my father said. “But since you were the one who took her, you’ll understand why my thanks will not be forthcoming.”

Still nothing.

Had I been that naive? So much for my powers of intuition. To think we were meant for each other…

Kael stepped forward, his eyes locked on mine, a flicker of vulnerability showing through. His voice was steady, but it carried an edge I hadn’t heard before.

“I understand your anger, Mev. I deserve it. My actions, misguided as they were, were never meant to harm you or your mother. They were to protect my people. In my blindness, I believed there was no other way. The longer we were together, my resolve to keep my past from you strengthened, for fear you’d never forgive me.”

I opened my mouth to respond, but he raised a hand, stopping me.

“I’m not asking for your forgiveness, not yet. Instead, I will earn your trust again if you’ll allow it.”

I was not certain I’d remain long enough in Elydor for that to happen.

“Mev, Mia.” His voice was shaky, barely a whisper. It was not a tone I’d ever heard from him before. “I’ve spent my life following my father’s orders, doing what I thought was right for my people. You’ve showed me there is another way. A better way.”

Tears stung my eyes. His words were not an excuse, but they were honest.

Could he earn back my trust? I wasn’t sure. Either way, this would not be resolved here, with my father as witness. He had made it clear he would never forgive Kael or his father, and I couldn’t say I blamed him.

“Thank you,” I said, willing my tears back as my resolve strengthened. “For returning me safely.”

He waited, but I had no more to say. Not now. Not yet.

Bowing, to me and not my father, Kael stood up straight, raised his head and squared his shoulders. “I love you and will do whatever it takes to atone for the mistakes I’ve made. Good day, princess.” Then to my father. “Your majesty.”

With that, he turned to leave.

Princess.

If I were going to call him back, it would be as he uttered that one word. I waited until Kael left before looking at my father. When he shot up from his throne and wrapped his arms around me, tears fell immediately from my eyes, and I apologized for them.

“Never tell me you are sorry for showing emotion. Feel it. Welcome it. But never, ever apologize for it.”

No wonder my mother loved him. When I was finally able to regain some measure of composure, he stood back and sighed. “Of all the men you could have loved, it had to be that one.”

It wasn’t a question, so I didn’t answer. Neither did I refute his words. It was clear to him, and to myself, I did love Kael, very much.

But sometimes, love simply wasn’t enough.