Roar (Stormheart #1)(31)
*
Rora took a few moments to gather her composure before stepping out into the sitting room, leaving Nova behind. A small part of her felt better knowing that she was there. Not that she thought Cassius would purposely hurt her. But having him here in her rooms was akin to turning her back on one of those big cats that stalked the grasslands southwest of Pavan. In fact, he was pacing like one when she opened the door to the hallway. He did not immediately sit after he entered, walking instead along the bookshelf that spanned the entire length of one wall, occasionally stopping to peruse the spines of the books.
“What was it that you wanted?”
Rora sounded weary to her own ears, and he studied her carefully before replying, “Why don’t we sit down? We have a lot to discuss.”
She sank onto the corner of a settee, and exhaustion swept over her. Even though she slept after fainting at the market, she still wanted to crawl into bed and sleep for another day. Perhaps two.
My apologies, Pavan. I cannot do my sacred duty and help fight the first storm of the Rage season. I will be too busy with my nap.
Cassius sank onto the settee beside her. The piece was built for two, but she imagined the maker envisioned her and another girl sitting here, talking away about whatever it was that normal princesses were supposed to talk about. Cassius was very much a man, and to fit, he sat close enough that their sides pressed together.
He reached over and plucked one of her hands from her lap. Lacing their fingers together, he rested the back of her hand on his hard thigh. A lump formed in Rora’s throat, and she casually leaned her upper body away from him.
“You said you spoke to my mother.”
“Yes, she came to see my father early this morning.”
That made Rora sit up straighter. “About?”
He pushed her hand flat against his thigh, circling his callused thumb over her sensitive palm. “Are you well? Your injury?” His thumb dragged from her palm up the length of her middle finger. She considered making him feel guilty for the knife incident but knew it was smarter to put him at ease. “I worried when you weren’t in your rooms.”
“The wound was minor.” He certainly did not need to know she had fainted from blood loss after following him to an illegal market.
“I cannot … I am not certain I have ever even made an apology. It’s not something my father believes in. But I am sorry. I promise I will never risk you again.”
She studied him. If she did not know better, she would think he was truly upset. “What is life without risk?”
“Indeed.” He pulled her hand to his mouth and placed a long but chaste kiss on the center of her palm. He closed his eyes as if savoring the moment. Rora’s heart thumped uncomfortably. The sooner she found a way to end their betrothal, the better. She was not sure how long she could keep pretending like this. It did strange things to her heart and head.
“You did not tell me where you were this morning.” That quickly he shed the softness, his tone turning demanding.
She fought the urge to pull her hand away from his grasp, and said, “I wanted some fresh air after being confined to my bed for a day. Is that acceptable to you?”
Well, she’d contained most of her anger. She would count that successful enough.
One side of his mouth curled up. “Quite acceptable. I like that you enjoy the outdoors. My … brother’s fiancée, before she passed … well, the ocean whispered just outside the gates of our castle, but I don’t think she ever set a toe in the sand.”
“I’ve always wanted to see the ocean.” She’d been fascinated since she first read The Tale of Lord Finneus Wolfram, and it had become her favorite. And every time she’d read it since, the hunger to experience it for herself increased. “I’ve read about it. About ships sailing out into the deep, searching for other lands, safer ones. But the closest I’ve ever gotten is rivers and lakes.”
“It’s not the same. Someday, I’ll take you. There’s this lagoon a little way up the coast from home toward the ruins of Calibah. It’s like a little private paradise, and the water is a gorgeous crystal blue, and you can see all the way down to the smooth pebbles at the bottom. I think you’d love it there.”
She probably would. Perhaps the only thing that fascinated her more than the ocean was the fall of the city of Calibah. That plus the ocean would captivate her completely. And she hated that he seemed to know this. That he could read her so easily. But she didn’t trust him, and she wasn’t sure she trusted herself either. “What did my mother discuss with your father?”
His brows furrowed, and his hand tightened on hers. “We’re moving up the wedding date.”
“What?”
“Your mother said that you’ve always wanted a wedding outdoors, and she was worried that the season change could ruin that possibility. A patrol spotted a storm coming in off the western coast, near Calibah, and set the signal fires. It might be a few days before it reaches this far inland, but it’s heading this way, and it’s massive. So we’re getting married tomorrow before it arrives.”
Funny. Rora felt like it already had. Like a twister had dropped from the sky, ripping through the roof and throwing her world into a maelstrom. Tomorrow.
Tomorrow.
She struggled to stay calm, to keep her expression neutral. But her body revolted, and tears pressed at the corners of her eyes, nausea roiling in her belly. She stood quickly, fleeing to the window. It was easier when she could see the sky in front of her, could see a way out.