Chapter Nineteen
Rhea walked across the scorched ground along the southern wall, or what was left of it.
Wildfire had destroyed over two-thirds of the wall, leaving large piles of white ash where the stone used to be.
Even though the fire had been extinguished, the ground was still extremely hot in some places.
She carried her shoes, so they didn’t get burned and spotted Reeve coming toward her from the stables.
“How can you walk across that?” Reeve asked. He reached out and took her shoes, holding them as they turned and walked toward the gardens.
“Oh. Thank you.” She knew she was blushing. She’d never had a man offer to carry her belongings before. Then she remembered his question. “Heat doesn’t affect me like it does with you.”
“Really? I didn’t know that. It’s pretty amazing,” he said.
Rhea nodded in thanks because she didn’t think she could speak when he said that about her. He thought she was amazing? Or at least, her ability?
“I noticed you weren’t at breakfast,” he added, glancing over at her.
“Sid removed my collar this morning and I can use my full magic again. So I wanted to get an early start. There is so much to do.” Rhea reached up, rubbing the spot where the collar used to be. She would have to get used to it being gone.
Reeve’s eyes dropped to her neck also, but he didn’t comment on the lack of collar. Instead, he asked, “Did you make any progress?”
“I was able to heal a couple dozen sheep that were singed, a few goats, and several of the horses, but the majority of other animals were lost.” Tears slowly started to fall and she let them.
Seeing the destruction and being unable to fix it all was incredibly depressing.
She hated she had no help from her fellow fae, but she would do all she could.
“Are you alright?” he asked, noticing her mood changed.
“No, I don’t think I am.”
“I’m here… if you’d like to talk about it.
I know it must be hard to see this.” Reeve frowned.
He could tell it was affecting her and he hated to see her cry.
After everything that had happened to her, he thought she was exceptionally brave to stay in Junacave and help them. She certainly didn’t have to.
Rhea gazed into his gorgeous green eyes for longer than she’d meant to and forced herself to look away. He was only trying to make her feel better. Reeve was a kind man. She’d come to learn that after their travels together. He would probably say that to any woman in need.
“I have a lot of work to do before I leave, so I should probably get back,” she said, gesturing behind her.
“Leave?” Reeve turned toward her with wide eyes. “Where are you going?”
“I’m not sure yet,” Rhea admitted. “But once the mysta arrives and I have done all that I can do to heal the land, I will have no reason to stay in Junacave any longer.”
It hurt her to say it because she had come to enjoy the castle and the people.
She desperately wanted to stay but she knew that she couldn’t.
She had learned something about herself since coming to Junacave.
She had a weakness for allowing her heart to fall too deeply, too soon, and usually for the wrong man.
Rowan wasn’t the only one it had happened with.
Getting tricked by a man’s false words is what led to her being imprisoned and collared in the first place.
Standing on the balcony last night, fearing for Reeve’s safety while his little sister clung to her, was proof it had begun to happen again. She was becoming too attached to them both, too soon. To a family that wasn’t really hers. One that never would be.
She had even started to dream about Reeve at night and think about him during the day. About the life they could have together if he cared for her and hadn’t been forced to wed. If he loved her. But he didn’t. He barely knew her and so far, he hadn’t shown any sign that he wanted to stay married.
After the marriage was over, she knew Reeve and Gabby would go back to their lives. If she stayed, she would have to watch another person come in and take her place. A man like Reeve deserved a wife. She had no doubt he would find one and she wasn’t strong enough to endure seeing that.
It would be much worse than seeing Rowan with Bree.
She hadn’t really imagined herself with Rowan, only clung to him as the first man to treat her with kindness.
It had caused her to make questionable decisions that could have ruined their relationship.
Decisions she hadn’t forgiven herself for yet.
She just couldn’t trust her instincts when it came to love.
“I can’t return to Anestas so I will move on, probably to somewhere in the north,” she said, realizing he hadn’t responded yet. He was just standing there, peering down at her.
She looked at the Junacave emblem on his tunic to avoid making eye contact with him, but she could see he was trying to think of something to say. He opened his mouth twice and closed it again before speaking.
“I’ve been thinking about that,” he said, finally.
“About what?” She couldn’t stop herself from looking up.
“About your banishment. I feel responsible for it. It’s my fault that you can’t return home.”
“Oh.” Her heart dropped a little. Whatever she was hoping he would say, he hadn’t.
“And another thing… I think we should hold off. On the visit from the mysta, I mean.”
There it was. The words that deep down, she was hoping to hear. A sign that he wasn’t in a hurry to end their marriage.
“Why?” she asked, cautiously, as hope blossomed in her chest.
“Umm… for Gabby’s sake,” he said, quickly. “She really likes you and after losing our mother, I think it would be good for her to have someone. Someone like… you.”
Reeve wanted to smack himself for that reply.
It was the first thing he could think of.
She was the most magnificent creature he had ever met but that was too deep of a statement.
And saying that he believed fate may have brought them together for a reason might make him sound too… well, ridiculous.
His mother had once said he had a romantic soul.
Reeve hadn’t understood what she meant until now.
He’d spent too much time taking care of her and his sister to even think about finding love for himself.
He wondered if maybe fate might have found it for him instead.
Or shoved it in his face, really. It was possible, wasn’t it?
Why else would all of this have happened to him?
It wasn’t as if it came out of nowhere. He’d been drawn to the fairy since the first time he’d seen her in the great hall.
She’d been sitting with the wizard and speaking intently about something.
He’d been captivated by her, wondering so many things.
Would she smell like the flowers in her hair?
She did. Was her voice as pleasant as her perfect, round face?
It was. Did she stir something in him that no other woman ever had? Yes, and it was jarring.
What he’d just told her about Gabby wasn’t really a lie.
His sister had quickly become attached to Rhea.
In fact, he couldn’t get Gabby to stop talking about how much she liked her.
Or how lucky Reeve was to be married to a fairy like Rhea.
Not to mention how he would be a complete fool if he let her go.
He couldn’t help but agree with his sister for once.
However, if he told Rhea the truth, it would probably scare her away.
He knew she was skittish around men and even some women.
He wasn’t even sure if he should try. After all, would a beautiful fairy want to stay married to someone like him?
He wasn’t sure. Yes, he was a knight now and capable of caring for her, but many other men could also.
Would Rhea even want him, when she could have almost anyone?
“You want to stay married?” she asked, taking him out of his thoughts. She bit her lip, both anticipating and dreading his reply. “For how long?”
“Oh, uh… at least until… after the Winter Ball? Gabby mentioned it a few times. The princess has been telling her about it. I’ve never been to it but it sounds interesting. We could go together, maybe… You and I, perhaps…” Reeve bit his cheek to stop himself from rambling even more.
Rhea forced her face to remain calm but her mind was whirling. Reeve wanted her to stay until the ball, which was months away. And more than that, he’d asked her to accompany him. Maybe by the time the ball was over, he would want her to stay even longer. It could happen, couldn’t it?
“I assume it would only be fitting for us to go together,” she said, a smile slipping out as she nodded. “We are married after all. For now at least… If that’s what you think is best… for your sister?”
“Yes, that would be best… for Gabby,” he lied again.
Reeve was glad that his sister had mentioned the Winter Ball this morning or he never would have thought of it. This could work though, right? Stranger things had happened in the realm. After all, he never thought he’d even see a fairy, let alone talk to and end up married to one. Kind of.
“I will see you at supper, perhaps?” Rhea asked.
“Right. Supper.” He handed Rhea her shoes and waved goodbye to her.
As he watched her walk away, he realized what he’d just done and began to panic.
He slapped his own hand down, which was still waving for some reason.
This woman’s presence clouded his mind, but he’d managed to convince her to stay until after the ball.
Then a thought hit him. He wouldn’t have an excuse to keep her there afterward. So that meant he had to work quickly. He only had until the Winter Ball to make Rhea fall in love with him or he would likely lose her.
Forever.
~*~
Rhea’s spirits were high for the rest of the day. At supper, she sat with Reeve and Gabby and tried to listen as the girl spoke about her horse and something the princess had said but really, Rhea was doing her best not to look at Reeve.