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“Remember when you told me you’d never break, not for me or anyone?”

“I remember.”

“Promise you’ll stay strong, no matter what.”

“I’ll be strong when you get home.”

“Novalee,” he warns. “Promise me.”

“I’ll stay strong…as long as you promise to come back to me.”

“I promise, princess. I’ll be home as soon as I can.”

I guess we both lied.

Because he’s not here.

And I’m not strong.

The door creaks open, shattering my destructive musings, and Selma steps inside with a tray.

“Good afternoon, my queen.” Liam’s housekeeper sets my lunch on the table in front of me, her smile exuding warmth. “I hope you have an appetite. The chancellor won’t be happy that you didn’t eat breakfast.”

“Where is he today?” I ask, increasingly aware of his dwindling patience for my despondency. Each time he brings me food or tries to coax me into some semblance of myself, the worry etched on his face chips away at my defenses. He hasn’t breached my walls yet, but knowing him, it’s only a matter of time before he busts through.

“The legacy members arrived this morning.” Selma lifts the lid off a silver platter of gourmet lunch offerings. “Chancellor Castle is in a meeting with them now.”

My back stiffens. “A meeting about what?”

A furrow tugs at her brows. “That’s a question for the chancellor when he returns.” She exits the room before I can press her further.

I glance at the artisan sandwich and salad I have no intention of eating. A hunger pang tears through my gut, but the idea of putting food into my mouth, let alone swallowing it, makes me nauseous.

Letting out a sigh, I pick up my fork, knowing Liam will be upset if I don’t at least make an effort. I take a nibble, my gaze drifting to the sea, soothed by the faint sound of waves breaking against the rocky cliffs.

At some point, he returns, and I realize the sky has deepened to a dull gray. Fresh snowfall blots out the late afternoon sun, casting my quarters in shadow. Disoriented and confused, I glance around the room, once again wondering how time passed by without me.

Liam settles into the chair on the other side of the table, where my lunch sits untouched between us. Wait…barely touched, since one corner of the sandwich has a bite missing. I don’t remember eating it, so it’s probably safe to assume I sampled the salad, too.

“You’re still not eating.” He crosses his muscular arms, a preamble to the battle he’s about to wage.

“I tried.” With a gesture at the evidence of the bite I’d taken, I add, “No one else has been here to touch it.”

At least…I don’t think anyone has. Did I nod off in my seat? It would be a miracle if I had, since every time I close my eyes, I see Sebastian the way I left him in Los Angeles over a week ago.

Two weeks ago?

However many the days, he was alive, and he was mine.

With a sigh, Liam runs a hand over the unkempt scruff shadowing his jaw. “You can’t go on like this.”

Shrugging a shoulder, I fiddle with the useless fork on my plate. “I don’t know what you want from me.”

“I want you to try.”

When I fail to respond, an uncomfortable stillness fills the air.

“The legacy members are here,” he says.