So I Married a Sorcerer (The Embraced #2)(66)

“Ah. Well, you’ll never know if you don’t ask.” With a groan, Granny Hargraves hefted herself to her feet. “Love is a more powerful force than you think, child. You should believe in it and believe in yourself. If he’s a smart man, he will see your true worth.”

The old woman headed farther south down the beach, and Brigitta sat alone, wondering what Rupert actually thought of her. He had to know what her father had done, and he’d spoken of revenge, but he’d never directed his anger at her. That one time when she’d felt his emotions, she’d sensed desire. Yearning.

He’d been desperate to make sure he could safely touch her. I like touching you. And when she’d lamented that she came from a family of monsters, he’d said, “You’re not like them.”

She rose to her feet. Could he accept her as she was?

With a wince, she realized that even if he said it didn’t matter who her father was, it would still matter to her. She would still feel guilty. Unworthy. The true problem here was that she couldn’t accept herself. How could she bear to face him, knowing that her father had destroyed his life?

“I have to make it right,” she whispered. She couldn’t sit back and do nothing when it was her family that had started this mess. She had to get off this island and fight for Rupert. Somehow, she needed to help him regain his throne.

Words of love wouldn’t be enough. If she truly loved him, she needed to act. And it was only through her actions that she would earn his trust. And feel worthy of his love.

She squared her shoulders. “You can do this.”

Determination pounded through her with each step she took toward the village. She scanned the crowd, but couldn’t spot Rupert anywhere.

“Brigitta!” Sister Fallyn approached her, carrying a plate of food. “Come and eat. The lamb is wonderful, but the bread…” She wrinkled her nose. “I think I’ll have to help them out in the bakery.”

“Do ye know where Rupert is?”

“Oh. He went somewhere with Stefan.” Sister Fallyn motioned to the hilly coastline on the north side of the village. “Stefan said he owns that land. They’ll return soon enough. Ye could have a bite to eat while we wait.”

Brigitta spotted a lantern far in the distance. The conversation she needed to have with Rupert was best done in private. “I’ll be back later.”

She ignored the nun’s objections that it was too dark and too chilly and hurried to the outskirts of the village. There, with the light of the stars and two moons, she could make out a narrow path that wound up into the hills.

Long grass brushed against her skirt as she climbed, following the flickering light of the lantern.

*

“She saw your past memories?” Stefan tripped over a clump of grass and nearly fell over.

Rupert snorted. “I reacted about the same way.” He lowered the lantern to better illuminate their path.

“Damn,” Stefan muttered. “I’ve never heard of a gift like that.”

“I know. She saw the ambush, the battle—”

“Shit. Does she know who you are?”

“I don’t know.” Rupert gritted his teeth. “I feel like I’m losing my mind, trying to figure that out. She knows her father is a monster. But I don’t know if she’s ever heard the story about my family.”

“Then you don’t know if she’s ever heard about the lost prince?”

Rupert groaned with frustration. “I can’t very well ask her.”

“No, that would make it too obvious.”

“She has a clever mind. Eventually, she’ll figure it out.”

“Then she needs to stay here, out of the way.”

Rupert scoffed. “I can’t hold her prisoner.”

“We would let her go as soon as you gain the throne.”

Rupert groaned again. “Oh, I’m sure she would appreciate that.”

Stefan stopped. “Then what do you want to do?”

Rupert’s heart clenched in his chest. He wanted the impossible.

“Have you fallen for her?”

Yes. “I can’t possibly trust her.” He quickened his pace.

Stefan trailed behind. “Maybe you should reconsider Ansel’s suggestion. Deliver her to her brother already pregnant.”

“No,” Rupert growled as he whipped around. “I will not abuse her for my own gain. And I will not endanger her. Have you considered how her bastard brother might react if she showed up pregnant by a pirate? He could punish her or torture her until she lost the child. Hell, he might forgo the competition altogether and let his favorites rape her.”

Stefan winced. “You have a point. Then there’s nothing we can do but leave her here.”

With a sigh, Rupert resumed his walk along the path. He felt like a complete ass. Brigitta believed she had decided her own fate, but he’d knowingly steered her toward exile on this island. Dammit. He’d just wanted to keep her safe. But now that he knew how dangerous her gift was, her exile seemed more geared toward keeping himself safe.

No matter what he did, he couldn’t escape the feeling that he was using her. If only he could tell her the truth. If only he could trust her.

He could wait until he regained the throne to tell her who he really was, but by then she probably would have figured it out. Even if she hadn’t, she would hear the news that the lost prince Ulfrid had returned. And then she would know that he hadn’t trusted her. She would know that he had waited until she was no longer a threat before revealing the truth.