Page 134 of Boundless

“Trouble at the palace. Nothing dangerous, but I have to get there as soon as I can.”

“Then I’ll come with you,” I whispered because it made perfect sense that I’d go. It made perfect sense that I’d continue to run from the Frozen Court for just a little longer.

“No,” Rune said with a shake of his head, the sound of the word so final I didn’t even consider screaming my guts out at him or telling him that it wasn’t his call. “No, Wildcat, I have to go alone. You will be taking my soldiers with you to make sure you’re safe.”

“We don’t need soldiers, Your Highness. I promise you, she will be safe,” said Maera from behind me.

“I know that. It’s just an extra measure.” Hands on my face as I blinked a million times just in case tears came, and I didn’t want to cry. “And it’s for the best that I leave now. I promise you, I will come find you in no time.”

Except I knew that was a lie, didn’t I? Because he had a kingdom to rule, just like Hil, and just like Lyall.

Just likeme,no matter how nauseated the very thought made me. No matter how hard of a pill it was to swallow.

Rune had his court, and I was standing in the way. His people needed him, and he had to get back to them because that’s where he belonged.

And I was going to respect that no matter how much of me I had to bury to do it.

So, I breathed in deeply and I straightened my shoulders and I raised my chin as if I were suddenly possessed by another person. I looked Rune in the eyes and I touched the edges of the stubble that had just started to grow on his skin. I knew I’d see him again. That, I didn’t doubt. But even so, I was in pieces a second in, because seeing him was never going to be enough.

“It’s okay,” I said, the words so foreign on my tongue I almost double-checked that I’d said them. “It’s okay, Rune. Go. Yourpeople need you.” And what was a human girl in the face of an entire court of people he had a duty to?

Rune didn’t move for a short second, searched my eyes without ever blinking his as if to try to make sure that I really said that. That I really meant it.

“I’ll be back before you know it,” he told me and kissed my lips. Except his kiss didn’t have the same weight as usual. Not as the ones we shared in the Fire Palace.

That was okay, too.

And if it wasn’t, it would be.

“I know,” I lied.

“I’ll find you. Maera will be there. The soldiers won’t let anyone near you,” Rune said and gave me another kiss.

I kissed him back, even if this time it wasempty.Just a meeting of lips. Just a touch. Not connection.

“I’ll be fine. Go,” I said because what else was there to say?

“I know. You will. I’ll find you,” Rune repeated another three times as he kissed me, and it sounded like he was talking to himself more than me.

But that didn’t change the fact that he eventually let go of me and stepped back, nodded his head at Maera, and turned his back to me. He looked back every few feet as if to make sure I was still there, and I tried my best to offer him a smile because I knew it wasn’t fair to expect him to turn his back on his people. They needed him.

But then again, so did I.

“Come, Nilah. The sooner we get to the Frozen Court, the sooner all this will be over.” Maera gently pulled me by the arm to guide me to the horse again while I stared after Rune.

What she didn’t realize was that to me, it was already over. Everything was done.

“Of course,” I said and let her lead me to the horse again, let her help me up on the saddle, watched the Unseelie soldiersstanding behind us retreat the closer the Midnight soldiers came to us.

Rune was riding on a horse of his own, too, a black one now. Our eyes locked, and I knew he was looking at me even though he was at least fifty feet away.

Our eyes locked and my heart screamed. He didn’t hear it.

Then his soldiers that were coming to us in a perfect formation took the view of him from me.

I didn’t see him again.

Must have been a dream.