King of Battle and Blood (Adrian X Isolde #1)(19)

“That won’t be necessary.”

“It is,” he said, “if I am correct in assuming your commander gave you that bruise.”

I looked at my arm. In our earlier…struggle…my cloak had fallen over my shoulder. My gaze cut back to Adrian.

“I will take care of it,” I said.

“Of that I have no doubt, but what if I wish for a turn?”

“Are you offering to defend my honor? How chivalrous.”

“It has nothing to do with chivalry,” he answered. “I insist.”

I did not argue, if only because, in Adrian’s presence, I might escape a lecture from the guards. We exited his tent and headed toward the woods once more, but at the border, we came to a halt, face-to-face with Killian and Ivan—Killian whose face was twisted with anger, and Ivan who looked pale and embarrassed. I hoped Killian wasn’t too hard on him.

“Isolde,” Killian said, and his eyes shifted to the vampire beside me. “King Adrian, I will take her from here.”

He started to reach for me, and Adrian’s hand shot out, clamping down upon Killian’s with a hard smack.

“You have already touched her once without invitation,” he said. “You will not do so again.”

I saw Ivan glance warily at Killian as the commander jerked away.

“You will forgive me if I do not trust you to see to my fiancée’s safe return.”

“As if she is safe with you,” Killian sneered.

“We will let the bruises speak for themselves,” Adrian said.

The commander paled, and it was the first time I think he realized just how hard he had handled me. Still, his hand flexed over his blade, but before he could pull it, I stepped between them. It was the second time I’d given Adrian my back, the second time I’d put myself between him and Killian.

“I have accepted King Adrian’s escort, Commander. You may return to your position.”

His lips pressed thin, and his eyes shone with anger. It was the same anger that had led him to reach for me earlier.

“Fine,” he said at last, and my ears bled with the words he didn’t say: Your father will hear of this. But what could either of them really do? I was Adrian’s betrothed, and this time tomorrow, I would be his wife. I watched him go, disappearing with Ivan in the dark.

After, I walked a step ahead of Adrian all the way to the castle. As I had predicted, Avram said nothing as we passed, alone since Ivan had yet to return form the border, probably still in the middle of a severe tongue-lashing from Killian. I would have to apologize tomorrow. I passed through the gates without stopping, and I intended to continue to the castle without looking back at Adrian, except as I swept past the sentry box, he called to me.

“All the stars in the sky,” Adrian said.

The words made my heart race, and I halted as an answer that was not my own formed in my mind—are not as bright as my love for you.

But when I turned to look at him, he was gone.





Five


I spent my morning in my mother’s garden surrounded by midnight roses—one of few flowers that bloomed in our winter. I had been told they were my mother’s favorite, with thick, velvet petals that were so rich in the color purple, they almost looked black. The cold could not manage to burn away their smell either, which was strongest in the early morning—a sweet, warm scent that reminded me of the woods and warm kitchens.

The garden was one of my favorite places in the whole kingdom, and I tried not to think about the fact that this would be one of my last visits. Each flower here had been carefully selected, planted, and cultivated by my mother. After she died, my father had seen that the care fell to the palace groundskeepers. It was much the same as when she died, except that there were far more blooms, the shrubs were lusher, and the trees were taller.

She would have loved it, but since she couldn’t, I loved it for her.

It wasn’t until Nadia came to collect me that I had to face what this day truly meant—change. She informed me that Adrian was meeting with my father again to go over the details of my departure tomorrow and that my trunks were already being packed.

“So soon,” I said, my voice quiet, and I looked around the garden through hazy vision, my chest tightening. I had not expected to stay long after the marriage. I did not imagine Adrian felt comfortable here—even being unstoppable, he was not welcome. Still, I had thought I’d have more time to say goodbye.

“Your father extended his welcome,” Nadia said. “But the Blood King refused. I cannot imagine why he is in a hurry to return you to his kingdom, unless he hopes to isolate you from us.”

I did not know Adrian well, but I did not think his reason for leaving Lara quickly was to isolate me. That seemed more like something Killian would do.

“I just cannot believe that in two days’ time, you will no longer be here.” She paused and took a shuddering breath, and it was then I realized she was crying. “What will I do without you?”

“Oh, Nadia,” I said and reached for her hand. I did not react well when others cried, especially Nadia, and my instinct was always to make her laugh. “I suppose you will read.”

We laughed together before leaving the garden to prepare for the wedding, which would take place at sunset.

We decided to use my mother’s suite, since my room was being packed. When I was younger, I spent much of my time here, pretending she was alive and that she might catch me at any moment playing with her things. Of course, Nadia was the one who found me, not my mother. Though she never made me leave. Instead, she told me stories about how my mother’s marriage had been arranged—a bridge between the inlands and the islands. How nervous my mother had been to marry my father, but how confident she had been that she would love him, because he had been kind—and because her people believed in fate and destiny.