The Blood Spell (Ravenspire, #4)(93)
It was going to have to be enough.
She closed the distance between them and pressed her lips to his. For an instant, the kiss was soft and sweet, and then he let go of her hands so he could wrap his arms around her and drag her against him. Nothing existed but the rough pressure of his mouth and the heat of his skin. She tilted her head to get a better angle, and someone cleared their throat behind her.
Blue jerked away from Kellan, and he took one look behind her and hastily dropped his arms. Turning, Blue found herself face-to-face with the queen.
“Your Majesty.” Blue fumbled into a curtsy, her cheeks flaming.
The only thing worse than being caught kissing the prince she had no claim to was being caught by his mother.
“Mother, I can explain,” Kellan said.
“Oh, I don’t think an explanation is needed.” The queen’s voice was calm, but there was fire in her eyes. “I’m not so old that I don’t remember stealing kisses in a garden.”
“It was one kiss,” Kellan said quietly. “It doesn’t change what has to happen in two days.”
The ache that had opened in Blue’s heart when Kellan said he loved her grew into something sharp.
“It’s not just one kiss,” the queen said firmly. “It’s you giving your heart to someone you can’t marry at the expense of the girl who will be your bride. And it’s you taking the heart of someone who can never have you.”
“He didn’t take what I didn’t offer,” Blue said. To her horror, tears threatened, and she blinked rapidly to keep them at bay.
“He shouldn’t have taken anything at all.” The queen smiled sadly at Blue. “We all love you, Blue. If I could pick the perfect girl for my son, I couldn’t find anyone better. But we would have a mutiny on our hands if the throne went to someone outside the head families. I have to think about the political consequences and the good of our kingdom. Kellan has to think about the good of our kingdom.” She aimed the last sentence like a dagger at her son.
“I have been,” he shot back, his voice rising. “I’ve played every game. Listened to every veiled threat, every pretty lie, every attempt to sway my opinion for the benefit of one head family over another. I’ve smiled and flirted and tried to protect all of us from dying over this.”
He turned and began pacing, frustration vibrating through him. “I’ve accepted that my own feelings can never be a priority. That what my heart wants isn’t important if that’s not what the kingdom needs. But for one moment—just one—before I commit to the betrothal, before I have to start playing another political game to bribe, cajole, or strong-arm the other families back in line, I wanted to kiss the girl I love.”
“Oh, Kellan,” his mother said.
“I’m sorry.” He turned to Blue. “I never meant to hurt you.”
She studied the torment on his face, felt the sharp ache of love in her chest, and decided their one moment wasn’t going to end with him apologizing.
“You didn’t hurt me.” She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him. “I kissed you, remember? I know I can’t have you, but I didn’t want to regret not having that one moment with you.” She pulled back, and before she lost her courage said, “I’ll always be your friend, Kellan. And you’ll know you always have someone who loves you, even if you don’t see much of me from now on.”
She fished the vials out of her pocket and pressed them into his hands. “These are protection spells for you and Nessa. They can’t save you if the wraith itself gets loose, but they will help keep you safe from any person who means you harm. Please wear them at all times until the threat is gone.”
“You made one for yourself too, didn’t you?” he asked as he glanced at her neck where no cord hung. When she took too long to answer, he frowned and began handing his back to her.
She made herself smile as she backed away. “I’m protected, Kellan. You don’t really think I’d go to the trouble of creating such a powerful spell and not leave enough for me, do you?”
Before he could reply, before the queen could lecture them again, and before the warmth that still lingered on her skin from his kiss could fade, she turned and left the garden.
THIRTY-EIGHT
KELLAN SWALLOWED HARD and met his mother’s eyes as Blue left the garden. “I can explain—”
The queen raised her hand in a command for silence. “We can discuss your poor choices with Blue later. I came to find you because the magistrate’s guards caught the person who killed Marisol and Genevieve.”
All thoughts of finding a defense for his actions fled, and Kellan moved toward the castle, his mother walking briskly by his side. “We need to call a special council meeting.”
“I’ve already sent messengers out. All representatives who are available will be present.”
“We need six for a quorum,” he said, though of course, she knew that. Still, it helped to think through what was coming. He couldn’t make a single mistake as he presided over the council meeting. He owed it to Gen and Marisol to deliver on his promise to get justice for them.
“Six shouldn’t be a problem,” his mother said as they left the grounds and entered the castle. “But we’ll want to discuss the proceedings with the magistrate before the representatives arrive.”