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“You are awake,” he said, standing several paces away from her. He was unarmed. “How are you feeling?”

“I feel good. Great, even. Reylene did an amazing job. How long have I been asleep?”

“Going on three days.”

“Three days? Why did you let me sleep that long?”

He shrugged his massive shoulders. “Reylene said you needed to heal. It worked, did it not? And besides, I had arrangements to make.”

Amelie’s stomach dropped. “Right. So you mentioned. Are you going to tell me what you meant?”

Davron frowned and folded his arms. “Do you miss your family? Your brothers and sister?”

She narrowed her eyes. “Why do I feel like I’m walking headlong into a trap?”

He sighed, rubbing his ashen face with his heavily scarred hand. “There is no trap, Amelie. I only want you to be safe.”

“I am safe. You kept me safe from a dozen vicious raiders. How much safer could I be? And does it matter what I want?” She took a deep breath, summoning the courage to speak plainly. “Because I want you, Davron. I want to be with you. If I wanted a life without any risk, I would return to my cottage in the woods and never leave. But that would mean never doing the things I want to do. Exploring. Meeting new people. Visiting new places.” Her voice wavered. “I might never know love.”

Davron flinched, his dead-eyed gaze dropping to the floor. “You will know love, Amelie. I am sure of it. You have a long and beautiful life ahead of you, but only if you are not locked away in a gilded cage by a beast.”

“You would rather lose what we have than find a way to fight Levissina?” Amelie stood up. “You and I see the situation very differently indeed.”

“You are correct. I believe you should go home.”

She strode toward him. “I thought this was my home now! You can not do this. You can not bring me here under virtual duress, only to draw me close to you and make me feel things that—” She gritted her teeth, willing herself not to cry. “This is not fair.”

“Many things are not fair.”

His resolute calmness made her want to scream.

“And for how long do you want me to go?” she asked.

He looked directly into her eyes. “For good.”

She shook her head, horrified. “You do not mean that.”

“But I do mean it. I don’t want you here.”

Amelie’s heart thudded violently, the room tilting. Had she awoken into a nightmare dimension where Davron no longer wanted her? Where he could not wait for her to leave his castle and his life? She’d thought he felt guilty, but now it seemed like he felt nothing at all.

“Your brothers agree with me,” he went on. “For you to remain here is unacceptable.”

“You sent word to my brothers already? Without talking to me first?”

He paused before answering, which was how Amelie knew he would confirm her worst suspicions.

“Marcel and Raphael are waiting downstairs to escort you home to your cottage.”

CHAPTER 27

Amelie repeated Davron’s words in disbelief.

“Marcel and Raphael are downstairs? Here? Now?”

“Yes,” replied Davron. “You will ride the golden horse, if you feel well enough. Otherwise, I can arrange a carriage. It will be slower and you would be a bigger target on the roads, but I trust your brothers to protect you. You will of course take the silver rose and the clamshell. How do you feel?”

“How do I feel?” She gaped at him.