Page 90

Oh.

She felt terrible for teasing him.

He pulled back and slowly released her, trailing his fingers along her neck. “Now it’s your turn to tell me a secret.”

“Yours wasn’t much of a secret,” she retorted, trying to deflect. She felt too exposed. “It was just one of mine you’d sussed out.”

“Fine. I’m envious of you.”

That wasn’t what she expected. Wren cocked her head. “What do you mean? I’m homeless in a foreign land where everyone seeks to use me.”

“You are so confident in your path,” he replied gruffly, looking out at the sea. “You don’t deviate in your path of what is right.”

Wren didn’t know what to say so she stayed silent.

Arrik smiled. “I see you brought your friend with you.”

She followed his gaze and spotted Trove below them. The dragon was going to get himself killed. Wren whistled sharply and the dragon sank deeper until she couldn’t see him any longer.

“Are we going to talk about your beast?”

“No, we are not.”

The prince nodded. “Now, it’s your turn. I demand a secret.”

“Why do you keep pressing me?” she snapped.

“Because there’s much you’re not telling me, and you need someone to talk to.”

That was the bloody truth.

Where did she begin? With Vienne? Lord Idril? Gunn being her brother? Or the rebellion’s alliance with Vadon?

About Rowen.

It hurt too much to keep in.

“He’s alive,” she whispered, licking her salty lips.

“Who?”

“Rowen.”

Arrik’s entire frame tensed. “The man you were to marry?”

“Yes.” Heat filled her eyes and she blinked repeatedly. “He survived and stayed away.”

“Then he is a fool.” A pause. “Perhaps not. If I’d seen him, I would have sent him to his grave.”

Brutal but honest.

She swallowed hard. “What is more is that he’s an agent for Vadon.” Her voice broke and Arrik wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her against his side. Wren leaned her cheek against his arm and let the grief come. “He’d been tasked to secure the crown. I never knew. He never wanted me.”

Wren gasped when the prince lifted her onto his lap and held her close, his lips in her hair. He tipped her chin back. “Then he’s a fool that’s lost the greatest treasure this world has ever seen.”

His words stirred heat in her chest and she found herself reaching up and skimming the tips of her fingers over his face to make sure he was real.

“I’m broken.”