Chapter 30
When Aryel stepped out of his rooms, Corinne forgot how to breathe, the air pressing on her lungs as the door swung shut behind him. Even if she planned to keep him at arm’s length, she couldn’t simply ignore him entirely. She forced herself to meet his eyes.
“Hi,” he said, his posture stiff as he hovered about a foot away from her.
He looked like he hadn’t slept any better than she had.
“Hi,” she said, her tone just as flat and awkward as his. I dreamed about you naked.
“I—” He cleared his throat and blinked. She’d never seen him so at a loss for words, and for some ridiculous reason, Corinne found it excruciatingly endearing. “We should go, I suppose.”
Corinne merely nodded, waiting for him to move. She followed him at her normal distance today, but when they reached the door, he paused, facing her.
“Are we going to talk about last night?” he asked, his voice low, his face uncertain.
Corinne’s heart sank. Did he regret kissing her? Had he decided she was just some dull, inexperienced girl who couldn’t hold his attention?
Perhaps it was for the best. So why did that possibility hurt so much?
“Not while there are Lightguards in the castle,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Understanding settled in his eyes then, and he nodded.
Corinne breathed a little easier as they headed for the council chamber. She could avoid that conversation until Mother Creita and the others left, at least, and hopefully come up with a way to keep the kiss secret without the guilt eating her alive.
She wasn’t sure what she’d have done if Vera had asked her outright about her relationship with the prince.
Would she have confessed to kissing him?
To wanting to do more than that? It was infinitely more difficult to ignore her body’s reaction to his proximity now that she knew what it felt like for him to touch her the way he had in the alcove.
She shook her head as she walked. Control, Corinne.
As they stepped through the doors to the council chamber, Corinne pushed down every last emotion that had rattled her bones since waking. She couldn’t entirely dismiss the unyielding dread, but she would not reveal a flicker of anything in front of the Lightguards.
Aryel greeted Councilor Toro and the others already present while Corinne took her place by the window. The Lightguards arrived shortly thereafter, and Corinne crossed her arms over her chest in a show of respect, which they returned.
Lies and deceit for appearances. If the others felt about her the same way Vera did, they held no respect or admiration for Corinne anymore.
A small part of her whispered that her respect for them had faltered too. She pushed that thought away; she had to find out whether Mother Creita truly believed that the aid they were offering the northeastern villages was beneath the Lightguards.
The king and queen arrived, and everyone in the room stood. Queen Erina greeted the Lightguards with overenthusiastic warmth.
“Shall we begin the meeting with a prayer?” she asked, and Corinne fought a grimace. It was just as uncomfortable in a group as it was when she’d done this to Corinne at their first encounter. “Mother Creita, I would be delighted if you’d lead us.”
“Of course,” the High Priestess said. She lifted her hands before her, palms facing the ceiling, and everyone at the table gazed in awe at the markings that began to glow along her hands and arms.
Everyone except Aryel, whose eyes went directly to Corinne. That look confirmed it—he knew. He knew it was Mother Creita who’d left that handprint on her arm.
“Goddess Helaera, Mother of us all, keep watch over your humble and faithful servants,” Mother Creita said. “The Crown seeks to work alongside your Hands and your Swords. You have given each of us your blessing, and we ask now for your guidance and protection.”
“May Helaera guide us,” the Lightguards said in unison, Corinne included, and the others echoed them.
Everyone took their seats, and Corinne forced her eyes away from Aryel, looking instead to Captain Ekhana across the room.
“Thank you,” Queen Erina said, inclining her head. “Let us proceed.”
This time it was Priestess Chala who spoke, leaning forward with her hands clasped upon the table.
“We remain confident that no Nightrenders have breached the Boundary, but that does not mean others who may act on their behalf have not slipped through. Several of our own have received additional threatening notes, and two of them have once again mentioned Prince Aryel.”
Corinne’s heart clenched. She’d known that was the entire reason for her assignment here, but hearing that more threats had been made on Aryel’s life invoked a fear she hadn’t felt before. It was personal now. She cared about him.
She cared about him more than she’d realized, more than she should.
“We remain vigilant,” Chala said. “While we cannot provide additional Lightguards to the castle, we have agreed we will remain here for the next week to work with your castle and city guards. We are happy to provide assistance in shoring up security measures.”
“Your presence and aid are deeply appreciated,” King Theo said.
“What is it they want with Prince Aryel?” Councilor Toro asked. “We know he has been threatened several times now, and even attacked, but why?”
“We’ve always known this day would come,” Mother Creita said, standing from her chair, her robes flowing elegantly as she paced toward the wall on Corinne’s left, studying the portraits hung there.
“The heretics of the Shadowlands tried to eradicate us centuries ago, and they are now attempting the same again. They ascribe to prophecies and divinations we do not abide or place trust in, but it is possible that such false spirituality could lead them to act without a cause we can identify.”
“So you’re saying they want our heir dead simply for conquest?” King Theo asked.
Mother Creita nodded, her eyes sliding to Aryel, and Corinne tensed. “As the sole heir to Ashera, Your Highness, you are the primary threat to their aims.”
“Then I suppose it’s a true blessing from Helaera that Corinne Anastos is here to protect me,” Aryel said. “I’m indebted to the Lightguards for sending her here.”
Corinne couldn’t help it—she looked at him, but his eyes were burning a hole into Mother Creita. Her name, her full name on his lips as he declared his gratitude for her presence to the Lightguards in the room was somehow more intimate than his hands on her waist, his tongue in her mouth—
Corinne fought the urge to scream aloud. She had to get ahold of her own thoughts. This was no time to revisit the kiss, to deal with the reaction of her body.
“You are most gracious, Your Highness,” Mother Creita said with a serene nod to Aryel. “We are honored to provide such protection through Corinne.”
Corinne’s face heated, a mix of embarrassment and anger, but she breathed through it.
She breathed through the rest of the meeting, trying to focus on the logistics the Lightguards discussed with the royal family and councilors.
Once it was adjourned, Corinne watched the Lightguards, her mind wandering back through what Priestess Chala had said about the threatening messages.
I know your secret, Corinne Anastos.
Corinne quickly approached Aryel as he stood from the table, doing her best to ignore the slight flush to his cheeks as she leaned close.
“I need to ask them something,” she said quietly. “I won’t be long.”
He nodded, and Corinne followed them into the corridor.
“Mother Creita,” she called, and the Lightguards all turned.
Mother Creita waved the others on at Corinne’s approach. Corinne inclined her head.
“You want to do this here?” Mother Creita asked softly, her voice dangerous. “Now?”
Corinne swallowed hard. Tell them I made you heal it. “No. I wanted to discuss a different matter.”
The High Priestess looked her up and down. “Very well.”
“I also received an anonymous threatening note,” she said. “It wasn’t about Prince Aryel, though.”
Mother Creita nodded solemnly. “What were the contents?”
“Just one line,” Corinne said, her voice barely audible. “I know your secret, Corinne Anastos.”
With a frown, Mother Creita said, “That…is quite cryptic. As were the others. Be on your guard, Corinne. We don’t know what their intentions truly are.”
Corinne bowed her head. “Yes, Mother Creita.”
“Join us tomorrow after your duties have concluded,” Mother Creita said. “We will offer you one chance to explain yourself.”
Corinne didn’t trust her voice, so she merely nodded again. The High Priestess set off once more, following the other Lightguards.
Somehow, Corinne made it through that day and the next without falling apart.
Nothing extraordinary happened as a result of her missing her ritual, and Aryel was on his best behavior, quieter than usual but not cold.
She was left in peace to focus on the pressure of the Lightguards’ presence without him further complicating things.
Part of her wanted him to complicate things anyway.
Especially when she noticed every breath, every movement he made in response to her now, and she kicked herself mentally again.
She was supposed to be the virtuous one of the two of them, and here she was, having lewd dreams and fighting unholy desires every time he was near.
“You’re going to meet them?” he asked, his eyebrows nearly shooting into his hairline as Corinne escorted him to his rooms that evening.
He stopped in the corridor leading out to the breezeway, and Corinne shushed him before nudging him forward through the doors. She let them shut and then faced Aryel again, the balmy Vytanos air drifting through his hair.
“I have to,” she said, keeping her voice low. “To explain.” She held up her arm, still free of the scar in her sleeveless tunic.
She’d missed wearing such attire, not realizing how much of a relief it would be until she’d been able to do so the past two days.