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His lips part, his eyes full of pain as he nods slowly. “It was during the midsummer festival. You were walking along the path, near the cliff’s edge, overlooking the river. You’d always liked the view from there.”

His gaze drifts to the back garden wall with a faraway look, as if reliving the painful memory.

Reaching out, I rest my hand over his, squeezing it gently.

“You slipped.” His voice breaks as he looks down at our joined hands. “It happened so fast. One second you were smiling at me, and the next you were gone.” He shakes his head. “I jumped in after you, but the current was so fast. I nearly drowned.”

He inhales a trembling breath, devastation marring his handsome features. “You were gone, and my devastation was beyond words.”

Tears gather in the corners of my eyes, and I cover my mouth.

“My younger brother—Falen—pulled me out.” He shakes his head. “They said the river must’ve swept you into the gorge…that there was no hope. But there was no body. I told them that meant you were still alive. I felt it. Iknewit.”

“Drusilla must have found me shortly after that.”

Theron nods.

“I wonder if she caused my accident, or if she simply took advantage of it to make me her captive.”Perhaps, I’ll never know.

“You’ve been looking for me all this time?”

“Me and your brother.” Theron pulls me into a tight embrace, one hand cupping the back of my head, the other around my waist as he whispers, “We never stopped.”

“Theron?” Guilt is a heavy stone in my chest as he pulls back to look at me. “I have not yet recovered all pieces of my past. I know that we were betrothed when I was taken, but… the feelings I have for you—” I swallow hard, uncertain how to continue before I finally say—“the memory of our relationship… it’s—”

“It’s all right if you can’t remember everything, Zel.” He cups my chin. “I’ll be right by your side. We’ll get through this together. I promise.”

I don’t want to hurt him, but I must tell the truth before things go too far. My heart belongs to Ren, and I cannot pretend otherwise. “Theron.” I swallow hard. “I need to tell you something.”

“What is it?”

“I’m in love with someone else.” The words leave my mouth in a panicked rush. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it to happen, but it did. And I wanted you to know the truth before things spiral out of hand.”

“You?” he asks in disbelief. “You’re in love?”

I blink at his reaction. “Yes.”

“Well.” He arches a brow. “This definitely puts a damper on the wedding planning.”

I gape at him. “You’re… not upset?”

“I’m not thrilled,” he says a bit too casually for a man whose heart has presumably been broken. “I mean… I was looking forward to marrying my best friend.”

Now I’m confused. “We weren’t in love?”

Dropping to one knee before me, he takes both my hands in his. “Make no mistake: I have loved you fiercely since we were children because you’re my best friend. Butromantically? No. But you and I agreed that we were a good match, and we figured we’d grow into it eventually.”

My lips part in surprise, but I press them together again as he continues. “I didn’t want what my parents had—an arranged marriage filled with bitterness and silence. I thought if I married you, someone I actually liked, maybe we’d be the exception.”

“You weren’t in love with me at all,” I murmur, more to myself than to him as myriad memories flood my mind. “I remember now,” I whisper. “You are my best friend.”

He nods.

Relief fills me. “And here I was, terrified I’d break your heart.”

He slaps his hand dramatically to his chest, directly over his heart. “Broken? No.” he chuckles, “But I cannot deny that my ego is a little bruised, perhaps.”

A snort of laughter escapes me, and he laughs as well. “So, who’s the lucky male that has won your affection, Rapunzel?”