Page 33

“I’m here to cover up the disappearance of an inconsiderate princess to avoid a full-scale panic.” Me inconsiderate? After he inserted himself into this trip to explore the many ways he might make me miserable?

“I wanted to interact with people without the pretenses of my title.”

“Excellent,” he says. “Would it kill you to tell someone?”

“If I had planned it, I might have.”

“You’re not at home, Bell. You can’t run around without anyone knowing where you are. Do you realize how close we are to Penum?”

It’s an effort not to roll my eyes. He knows the extent of my powers better than anyone. This isn’t a safety issue; this is him being a controlling ass, overstepping the role he chose in my life. “What could Penum possibly do to me?”

“I’d rather not find out! You aren’t indestructible.”

“Well…”

He slams some coins onto the table. “Let’s go.”

I cross my arms. “I’m not your responsibility.”

“You don’t even know the meaning of the word.”

My teeth clench together as I jump to my feet. My blood boils. Close enough to see each hue of his eyes, words are beyond me. Any wisp of an idea implies he should have some responsibility to me, but that’s nonsense.

“Tell me I’m wrong.” His voice is unnervingly steady and low. “Tell me you actually think it’s reasonable for you to vanish from Lambridge Castle without anyone knowing about it.”

Of course I can’t do that. I had only considered that I couldn’t be under the same roof with Tomas, Ceanna, and Jamys anymore. It was suffocating, and I needed to get away. My silence condemns me, and facing him is too much to bear. I turn to walk around him, but he grabs my arm, forcing me to face him. Well, he can’t make me look him in the eyes. I keep mine downcast and wonder how it’s possible that this man who brings out my most confident and daring sides can also make me feel so meek.

“Do you know what you’ve done so far today that is the most typical of you?”

Being stubborn? Forgoing rational thinking because you’re in the vicinity?

When I don’t reply, Tomas answers his own question. “Endearing people to you.”

I glance up at him to confirm he’s past his fury. His demeanor has softened, and his gaze has warmed. All right then. I offer my own olive branch. “Richard wanted to marry me.”

He chortles. “Exactly. Now, come on.”

“Back to the castle?”

“Not yet.” He leads me out and turns the opposite direction. We continue down the road I’d been on, venturing farther into town. More people are out and about now, and several passersby smile and nod to Tomas in recognition. “I love seeing you like that, Bell, but you need to do it in a way that doesn’t trigger a kingdom-wide emergency.”

“I didn’t mean to worry anyone.”

“Fortunately, I discovered you missing before anyone else did. I left word that the two of us went to town.”

In these narrow roads and alleys, it feels as if we could get lost in the best way—sink into the crowd and be nameless faces without expectations of kingdoms hanging on us. We make a turn toward the edge of town.

“How did you notice me gone so early?”

Tomas’ jaw ticks before he answers. “Things have been tense between us since we left Mirador. I couldn’t allow us to remain that way indefinitely.”

“I don’t enjoy that either.” Before we can get into the particulars of our silent standoff, Tomas knocks on a door.

“What are we here for?”

“You happened upon people involved with one disappearance. Here’s another.”

A boy of about seventeen opens the door of the modest farmhouse and blinks a few times before bowing to us. “Good morning, Lord Tomas. I didn’t know you were back.”