Page 99 of Where Darkness Falls

Laisren understands this perhaps better than the rest of us.

“Precisely,” I reply.

Laisren clears his throat, clapping me on the back.

“We’ll give the dimwit the best bloody performance he’s ever seen, but you need to explain this to her, Emyr. She has no allies here but us,” he says sternly.

I nod, retracting my shadows.

“Don’t allow anyone near this chamber that isn’t a maid or Virgil. They’re the only ones to have access to this room,” I command, louder than necessary.

“Yes, High General,” they reply.

As they exit the chamber, I walk out to the balcony. I observe her from the doorway for a moment. Maeva’s hand trails over the corpses of withered, dark maroon-colored roses. Coming to stand beside her, I place my hands on the railing, looking out over the tall trees of the woods. She turns her face from me, but not quickly enough for me to miss the tears spilling from her eyes. “Rosey, look at me,” I plead. When she doesn’t tilt her gaze or respond, my heart thumps wildly. I need her to talk to me, otherwise I’ll level this entire palace—to the Abyss with the consequences.

I softly reach for her cheek, angling her face back toward me.

I need to see the ocean in her eyes.

To see the churning storm or calming stillness.

It doesn’t matter which version of the waters I see as long as I get to drown in their depths.

She jumps at the contact, but I don’t stop as my thumb strokes across her cheek, catching every tear that dares slip down her beautiful face. I feel dread settling into my being when she refuses to open her eyes. “Rosey, look at me, please,” I whisper.

Slowly, she peers at me through her damp, clustered lashes. The tears have made them glisten—my beautifully tragic girl.

“Are you okay?” I whisper.

She opens and closes her mouth, though no words escape her lips. She looks at me as if searching for my soul.

What is she thinking about right now?

“Maeva,” I whisper.

As if snapping her back into reality, she blinks rapidly, backing away from my outstretched hand. It remains frozen to the spot where her face had been moments before. Her brows scrunch together as she rubs her temple—her eyes wild with emotion that’s as turbulent as the sea.

I want to drown in her eyes, but she’s already drowning in a different way.

I slowly lower my hand, my heart lurching at the sight of her distress. “I cannot help if you don’t talk to me, Rosey,” I say.

Her shoulders tighten as she clenches her fists. “I don’t need your help,” she seethes.

I take a step closer to her, her dark stormy gaze assessing my every move. “You may not need it, but I want to help you. Tell me which one of them did this to you,” I reply, looking at her busted lip that’s almost healed.

Maeva scoffs, turning away from me. “Why? So you can use it against me later? Or is it so you can go running to that wicked man and tell him I cried over it?” she snaps.

My nostrils flare as I take a steadying breath. I should slay the king and queen in their sleep for causing her such anguish. Yet, it’s the fact that she believes I’ll report everything to him that causes my soul to shatter. There’s so much hurt and anger in her voice that I can’t stand it.

Before I do anything reckless, I grab her hand, whirling her around to face me. She gasps, stunned by the gesture. I lean my back against the farthest column, pulling her to me.

“What do you think you are?—”

“Shhhh,” I say, holding one finger to her lips as I look all around us. Seeing no one, I grab her waist, allowing my shadows to seep out. Maeva’s body stiffens as her wide-eyed stare roams from my glowing irises to my shadows.

She’s afraid… Perhaps she should be.

Nonetheless, I tighten my grip around her because her fear is the last thing I’ve ever wanted.