The Shadowglass (The Bone Witch, #3)(44)

He grabbed my hands, stilling their movements. “I love you, and I know you didn’t do it. I don’t give a damn what Fox saw. We shared—share—heartsglass, Tea. I can sense you, and I know you didn’t do it. We might not have the same bond as you have with Fox, but there is nothing in you to convince me that you willfully and deliberately killed Daisy.”

“How can you be so sure?” I trembled, so filled with love for him that I was afraid my heartsglass would break. “How can you be so sure of me when not even I am?”

He looked at me like I was precious and kissed me. “I know you, and I will always know you. Tea—that night when Polaire—” His voice still broke at the mention of her name. “When Polaire died, I felt you kill Aenah, and I felt your grief. I felt the hatred you were capable of like it was my own. And in that instant, I loved the darkest part of you, because I understood, better than Fox or Mykaela could. I’ve known you at your worst. And even at your worst, you would never kill your sister.”

I cried. He held me until I had no more tears left to shed. His heartsglass was warm against my cheek, despite the morning cold. “I don’t know that I deserve you,” I managed.

He kissed my fingertips. “We will find a way, Tea. Khalad told you about our suspicions, didn’t he? Since when have I ever been wrong? These blackouts you suffer from—they explain your nearly jumping out the library window. There’s more to this than we know, and time away from Kion should rid you of any poison in your blood.”

“I…I want to believe these blackouts are because of some toxin. But my blackouts can’t absolve me from murder. And oh, Likh. What happened to Likh?”

He sobered. “We’re still working on that. We discovered the rune shortly after they arrested you. I don’t understand it either—he ate all the same foods we had. Althy and Shadi were convinced he hadn’t consumed anything they or your mother hadn’t prepared. It was his idea to place himself under wards. We thought it best that he come with us, to give the rune time to dissipate on its own.”

“But when we return to Kion, it won’t stop someone from trying again—”

“What if we don’t go back?” He stroked my cheek. “What if we never go back to Kion? Then you would have no need to be a bone witch. Likh has no reason or desire to return, and most other kingdoms would be glad to have a heartforger like Khalad nearby. If we hide well enough, the elders will stop seeking you out.”

“I can’t ask that of you.”

“I know you, Tea. Your sense of responsibility is keeping you from agreeing with me. If this is the only peace we can know, then let us disappear.”

“But your titles! You’re a prince, a cousin to Kance—”

“Titles are worthless to me,” Kalen said gently. “Tea, I rejected my father’s dukedom. I have distant relations to the south and turned my titles over to them. They’re decent folk and should carry the position well. I’m rarely in Holsrath, and Deathseekers are supposed to forsake all titles anyway, no matter how many times Kance or Alyx insist. There is nothing tying me anywhere, nothing tying me to anyone but you. We can talk more about this once we arrive in Thanh. In the meantime, wear this.”

It was a simple, pink rose pin, set in silver but otherwise unadorned. “Likh made it for you,” he said. “It will mask the black in your heartsglass until we can figure out how to get rid of it.”

I knew I couldn’t change his mind—for now—and sighed. “This could have waited until I was dry, Kalen.”

“Well, the Grand Duke Besserly and the other Yadoshans are waiting for us at camp, and while they’re not as knowledgeable about heartsglass, I thought it best to be prudent. We can—”

I nearly shot out of the water. “Lord Besserly is here? And you’ve been letting me prattle on this long?”

“The Creator himself can wait. I wanted to talk with you first. We can…we can stay in Yadosha. We can go anywhere you want. We don’t have to return to Kion. Can we both promise not to make any drastic decisions until we have that conversation?”

I looked up at him, at his earnest, worried face. He was right; he knew me better than I knew myself. He had known my thoughts when I had plunged into the river, torn between reaching for the surface or sinking down. It was not quite a familiar’s bond. It was more distant yet more intimate. “I swear,” I whispered, “that I will never hide anything from you ever again.”

? ? ?

The Yadoshans were a notoriously rowdy group, but Lord Besserly was a tactful man when he wanted to be. He was also a courteous and pragmatic one, paying no attention to my wet hair or to the state of Kalen’s clothes. “Lady Mykaela has briefed me on your arrival, Lady Tea. On behalf of the city-states of Yadosha, I extend our hospitality to you and your friends for as long as you see fit. Please allow us to escort you to Thanh, where we have made what I hope are ample accommodations. Is there anything your ladyship would like assistance with? Is the azi still around, perhaps?”

“I’m afraid the azi has left, milord,” I told him. “I’ve learned from experience that it has a tendency to make people nervous with its presence.”

The duke’s face fell. “And I was so looking forward to seeing it.”

“The next time I require its aid, you’ll be the first I call, Your Excellency.”