Apprentice (The Black Mage, #2)(103)

"After you started talking to Shina," I said quietly, "why didn't you say anything?"

Darren looked away. "I wanted to tell you, Ryiah, but after everything I'd put you through, I couldn't bring myself to say it…. Because what if it didn't work?" He swallowed. "And then that day at the Academy, you told me you hated me. You wouldn't even look at me."

"I couldn't." The words were barely a whisper.

"I believed you." Darren's voice cracked. "I started to think you were better off if I left you alone. But then that day at Ferren's Keep - you saw what I was trying to do and you stopped me. You hated me, you had no reason to let me live, and you still wouldn't let me die - even if it would save you. I kept thinking about that when I left for Devon. I thought maybe I'd been wrong. That you didn't hate me."

I held my breath as Darren stepped right in front of me. "That maybe you still might love me." His hand found mine. It was shaking. We both were.

"Because I still love you," he whispered desperately.

"I…" I swallowed. "I never stopped. I wanted to." I was rambling now. "I hated myself that I couldn't… That I wasn't strong enough – that I-"

Darren pulled me to him and the rest of my words fell to the floor.

He kissed me.

…And as he did I smelled pine. Cloves.

I tasted cinnamon.

There was only one word to describe it. One word that came rushing back after all of this time.

Home.

How could I have forgotten?

Darren was home.





****





When we finally broke for air the non-heir was grinning.

"Who would have thought," he teased, "that the girl who tried to get me kicked out of the Academy-"

"That was Ella!" I shoved Darren and he caught my hands in his.

"It was both of you." His smile was wicked. "As I was saying, this girl who tried to get me kicked out of the Academy, this girl who tried to light me on fire, this lowborn girl I absolutely couldn't stand-"

I scoffed. "Please! You insulted me, mocked me, tricked me, lied to me-"

Darren's hand lightly clamped over my mouth so that the rest of my speech was muffled.

His eyes found mine. "Let me finish, love."

My heart skipped a beat.

"That somehow, this insufferable girl would become the one person I am forever, hopelessly, madly drawn to against my will and possibly even my better judgment."

I smiled faintly. "I don't think either of us had a choice in the matter."

"The higher powers are probably having a good laugh at our expense." Darren touched the side of my face, eyes gleaming. "Though perhaps they are right about this one."

I started to lean forward and paused. "Wait. Does this mean you were behind my ranking tonight?" My heart stopped. It was him. Of course it was Darren. I should have known Byron would never give me second rank willingly.

Darren's expression was amused. "I can assure you I had nothing to do with it. I was as surprised as you were. Not that you didn't deserve it, of course, but that Byron could move past his… er, difficulties where you are concerned." He paused and then a devious smile spread across his face as he caught sight of someone behind me. "But I bet I know who did."

"Who?" The only person I could think of was Commander Nyx and she detested the training master almost as much as myself. There was also considerable doubt that a woman would ever be able to influence a man whose reputation was built on a hatred of their gender.

"Why don't you see for yourself?"

I spun around and found myself face-to-face with none other than the Black Mage himself, Marius.

"Hello, Mage Ryiah," the man said smoothly. "Did I not tell you we would talk again? Congratulations on your engagement, if I might add."

"It was you," I stammered. "You convinced Byron to rank me second?"

"I merely reminded your headstrong master what a fool he would look should a woman win the next Candidacy… I must say I'm sorry I hadn't corrected his egregious bias sooner, but as it is with most politics I am slow to catch on." The gold hoop of his ear glimmered, dancing off the windowpanes behind us. "As to second rank, well, my dear, he did that all on his own. I suspect the Ferren's Keep commander would have made his life difficult if he had shunned a northern hero."

I blushed. "I'm not a hero."

"My dear, each one of us is a hero. The irony, of course, is that most will never receive the title. Bask in the recognition, for I suspect it shall not last as long as one might hope, especially with the rumors of Caltoth…" He cleared his throat. "But enough of that. Drink. Dance. Be merry. You are a mage of Combat and betrothed to a prince of the realm. What more could you desire?"

Nothing.

But then a thought occurred. "A black robe would be nice."

Darren gave me a sideways glance. "What are you talking about? You are already wearing one."

My eyes were dancing. "Maybe like the one Marius is wearing."

"With the gold lining? Ryiah, only the Black Mage…" Darren stopped talking as he realized what I was implying.