Dividing Eden (Dividing Eden #1)(26)

“What?”

She shook her head. “He had me pretend to have a vision about a snake hiding in the forest. A few days later Captain Monteros brought back the head of a man he said attacked him while he was riding through the trees.”

“Captain Monteros was rewarded for killing an Adderton spy.”

She nodded. “And Micah convinced the King my vision had been true. The King took my side, but Elder Cestrum told Micah he wasn’t convinced. He is still looking to replace me, and now that your father and Micah are gone, it won’t be long until he finds a way to remove my head.”

Her lip trembled and he pulled Imogen into his arms and tight against his chest.

“The Council will not harm you now. Not after what has happened already.”

“You are not that na?ve, my prince.”

No. He wasn’t. If the Council had their sights set on Imogen, Micah’s death would stall their plans, but not change their minds. And after his conversation with his mother today, he doubted the Queen would intercede. More likely than not she would do whatever was necessary to see Imogen’s head in a basket and a new seer installed in the Tower of Visions.

He wouldn’t allow that to happen. Holding her tight, he vowed, “I will do what I must to keep you safe. Just as Micah did.”

“Micah.” The word was a whisper before Imogen pushed away from his chest and out of his arms.

The jealousy he’d been denying for months clawed at him. Taking a deep breath, he shoved it back. “I am truly sorry for your heartbreak, Lady Imogen.”

She turned away from him and bowed her head so her hair draped over her face. “Your brother would have been a strong king. He asked me to marry him because he felt our union would make him stronger still, and I agreed because I thought it was the right thing to do for Eden. But I failed the kingdom and I can’t help but think I didn’t see what was coming in the stars because part of me didn’t want to.”

“What?”

“I should go.” Imogen grabbed her skirts and turned toward the door, but Andreus caught her before she could take a second step.

“What do you mean, Imogen?” His heart pulsed. Everything inside him went still. “Why wouldn’t you want to see what was going to happen?”

She shook her head and tried to pull her arm away. “I need to leave the castle. A true seer would never have let her own feelings get in the way of her visions. I wanted to care for you, brother, but he made it so hard. He knew nothing about me. Never asked where I came from or noticed what flowers I preferred. He wanted my power, not my heart, so he never cared that I had given it to another.” Imogen slowly turned and lifted her glistening eyes to meet his. “Soon your mother will take the throne and she and the Council will hold me accountable for my mistakes. I deserve to pay.”

“You did nothing wrong,” he insisted.

“Yes, I did,” Imogen said quietly. “I agreed to marry your brother, but I fell in love with you.”

Andreus stood there unmoving—staring at the seeress who had visited him in his dreams for months. None of the women he’d been with since could compare. So vulnerable. Beautiful. Sad. If she truly had powers, she was as dangerous and untouchable as ever. And she loved him.

When he said nothing, Imogen dropped her hand and sighed. “I shall leave you now.”

“Don’t.” Loss. Desire. Memories of the past. Uncertainty about the future. Duty to his family. But when she looked at him with her eyes filled with tears and regret, desire won out. He didn’t want to think about Micah tonight or his father or the fact that it was safer to let Imogen walk out the door. He was cursed. He should want to protect himself. Instead, he only wanted to hold her.

His mouth found Imogen’s in a gentle kiss that deepened and grew and made his body strain toward her. Her hands reached up and wove into his hair and once again there was nothing but the two of them. He pulled at the fastenings of his own clothes, then when she nodded at his unspoken question, began unfastening the ties of her dress.

Tomorrow would come and with it the grief of loss and regret. For now, he thought as she let him slip the dress off her shoulders so it pooled at his feet, they would comfort each other in the shadows.

If it damned them both, he didn’t care.

Imogen was gone when he woke. A small piece of purple silk, most likely torn from the hem of her gown, was on the floor next to the bed, but nothing else spoke of the passion and contentment they’d found in each other’s arms. There would be outrage if anyone learned what they had done. For him it would fade. He was, after all, a prince of the realm—the only prince now. And his interest in women was well known. He was able to take liberties with the virtues that others might not be allowed.

But Imogen . . . as a woman she was expected to hold her own virtue dear. She was also the seer and held to a higher standard still. While any who heard of his indiscretion would whisper about it for a day and go about their business, talk of Imogen’s visit to his rooms would follow her forever.

People would think she was determined to be Queen at all costs. Others would say she had shamed her promise to use her gifts to better the kingdom. None would be without opinion and most would not be good.

And still, despite that and her fear that the Council of Elders was looking to do her harm, she had bared her soul and her body to him. He should probably feel guilty. After all, no matter what they both felt, she had been his brother’s promised wife.