Chapter 26
KALLIE
She’s clearly in love with you; she’s just afraid to admit it.
Ellie was wrong. Kallie wasn’t in love with Graeson. She couldn’t be.
With Ellie’s words spinning in her mind, Kallie quietly pushed away from the tree she had been hiding behind and returned to the horses and Nyrri.
She hadn’t meant to eavesdrop on Graeson and Ellie’s conversation.
She had ventured over to ask them if they should pick up her training again, but then she had heard bits of their conversation.
Kalisandre is strong enough. She always has been.
It was those words and the sincerity with which Graeson spoke that had made her pause initially. She hadn’t known how much she needed to hear someone say them, to have someone believe in her ability, believe in her, wholly and completely.
She stroked Nyrri’s nose.
"Ready?"
Kallie jumped at Graeson’s voice and spun around. "For what?"
"To get going," he said, tipping his head in the direction they had been heading. When he looked at her for a moment longer, his brows knitted with concern. "Unless you need to rest longer?"
"No," Kallie blurted. "I’m fine. All good."
He studied her quizzically. "Are you all right?"
She grabbed her finger, about to twist the ring around it. But when she touched bare skin, she quickly dropped her hand and stuffed it in her pocket. "Yes, of course. Just…" Kallie looked at the sky. "We’re losing daylight. We should go."
She darted toward Winter, but she could feel his eyes on her back as she mounted.
She didn’t love him.
She couldn’t.