A Dawn of Onyx (The Sacred Stones, #1)(39)

The thought made me furious with King Ravenwood all over again. What kind of man, let alone a king, did this to so many innocents? And for what? More land? More riches?

Along with my disgust for King Ravenwood, I felt disgust for myself. How could I ever have harbored any kind of positive feelings for such a selfish, vile, arrogant, violent—

“Arwen?”

I spun around, bumping face-first into a strong, warm chest. “Ouch,” I muttered, rubbing my sore nose like a child.

The king peered down at me, humor in his eyes, but his mouth held a firm line. He was flanked by four soldiers, all adorned with hunting gear.

“Good morning, Kane,” I said. Commander Griffin cleared his throat. “Or do you prefer Your Majesty?”

He grimaced. “Kane is fine. Don’t worry about Commander Griffin.”

Griffin arched a skeptical brow.

Today the King’s dark hair was swept back, out of his face. He wore a leather jacket and tunic, hunting boots, and a sword at his hip, clearly headed out for some kind of expedition. But fear was written starkly across each of the lantern-lit faces of the men standing behind him in the hallway. Today was not a jovial outing, it seemed.

Now that he was in front of me, I wasn’t sure how to proceed. Maybe he’d deliver the letter, but I wasn’t sure about the burrowroot. I could try to coerce him, say I would refuse to heal anyone until he procured it for me, but there was no way around sharing that it was for my mother. There was a reason the apothecary didn’t have it—it wasn’t usually used for healing. He was bound to ask me why I wanted it, and I wasn’t about to share my deepest desires and weaknesses with the prick. Again.

An idea dawned on me.

I put on my most appealing smile and fluttered my biggest doe eyes, “Actually, I was just looking for you, my King.” I cringed internally. Probably laying it on a bit too thick. But Kane’s eyes gleamed and his lips quirked in amusement.

“Is that so?”

“Oh, yes. I had to apologize for my behavior the other day. It was outrageous. I was very sleep-deprived and think I must have been coming down with something. Can you forgive me?”

He only raised a brow in interest. “Your fury didn’t seem fever-addled to me. But I’m glad you’re feeling better.”

“I was just so very grateful for your kindness toward me the other night, allowing me to stay here in your keep. I thought I could give you the letter I wished to send my family, for you to share once you find them.” I produced the letter from my dress pocket and handed it to him.

He held the envelope and turned it around in his hands in confusion.

“Why is it so heavy?”

I reddened. “I thought I’d send them some coin. In case they are in need.”

The King weighed the letter in one large palm. “Quite a bit you’ve put in here. Is this all you have?”

“Nearly, yes.”

“Doesn’t your brother have enough of our coin to last a few lifetimes?”

I hated when he spoke of my brother like that. He wouldn’t have needed it had our village not been ravaged the past five years. But I held my tongue.

“I just want to help them. This is the only way I can.”

His brows drew together, the flickering lights dotting the hall shining on his stern face. He didn’t say more.

“Will you deliver it to them?” I pressed. “When you find them? When we separated, they were headed for Garnet.”

The king eyed me thoughtfully, something like pity in his quicksilver eyes.

I bristled.

“I gave you my word, did I not?”

Yes, but I value your word about as much as a sack of potatoes.

I swallowed hard. If anything I had heard about this King was true, flattery and imagined power over his subjects was the only way to get what I needed from him.

“Yes, of course, my King.”

His eyes went heavy-lidded and hungry, and a seductive smile played at his lips, “You’re going to have to stop with that term of endearment, bird.”

My breath caught and my cheeks grew hot. The commander cleared his throat a second time and I swallowed again. Why was my mouth so dry? Kane drew a hand down his face to hide his smile.

“That day… it was not my intention to offend you.”

“Yes, it was,” I said, before cursing myself internally. The men behind the king shifted just a little. Be agreeable, Arwen.

King Ravenwood scratched his jaw in thought.

“Perhaps you know my intentions even better than I do. More ardently, then, I am sorry,” he said, his voice low. And in his eyes, a new expression—one I hadn’t seen alight in them before.

I stood there, dumbfounded. Was this a real apology? From him?

The King and his men started to move past me, down the hall and surely toward the castle gates. But I couldn’t give up on the second part of my plan. I needed to find the spot where the burrowroot grew.

“Actually, I know how you could make it up to me.” He turned, allowing me to continue. Confusing admission of guilt aside, I knew the bastard was fighting the urge to raise a suggestive brow.

“Could I join you today?”

“No,” Griffin bit out.

“But—”

“Sure.” Kane smiled. Griffin muttered something under his breath and headed down the hallway.