Page 31 of Fearless Heart

He laughed. The sound of it filled her heart. Heath rarely showed such emotion, and that she was the one to bring him joy pleased her. He leaned upward and caused her to shift back on his lap. With his hands, he kept her from moving away. Heath set his face next to hers and the whiskers on his cheek prickled her jaw.

“Now, Lillia, I will hear the truth, the absolute truth.” He clasped her wrist and the hold stung the delicate skin.

“You’re hurting me.”

He slackened his hold. “Tell me.”

“Tell you what? Aye, you pleased me. Is that what you want to hear?” How could he even ask such a question? She’d gone completely undone twice.

“Nay, that’s not it. You ken what I want to know. Say it.” His demand enforced with the grip on her tightening.

“Heath, you’re giving me a fright.” She tried to pull away, but he was far stronger than she and she couldn’t gain her release.

“Good. If you deem this is frightening, Sweetness, you will not be prepared for what’s out there. Now, tell me.”

“I … don’t want—”

“Tell me. I will hear no further falsehoods.”

“You want me to own to being the queen’s daughter?”

“Aye, you must confess.”

She sighed and gained her release when she yanked her arm free. Lillia sat beside him and tugged her overdress over her body. She wanted to weep, to sob at the injustice of having to admit the one thing she promised she wouldn’t. “You want me to own to being someone I’ve only just learned of. My parents loved me, but they kept this awful secret. I’ve been a Hunter my entire life and now I am not.”

“Your parents did love you and they likely kept secrets to keep you safe. You are correct in that you’re a Hunter in every sense … except your blood is … King Alexander’s.”

Cold tears streaked her warm cheeks. “I am scared, Heath, and shamed, for no one must know. If anyone finds out I am the king’s daughter, we’ll all be in danger. You must promise to tell no one. Not even your comrades.”

“They already ken, love. We learned the truth when our comrade told us of the happenings at your father’s fief. Your life is in peril now for the Comyns know who you are and they will stop at nothing to apprehend you.”

Lillia sniffed back tears. “Regardless, I won’t let them use me to unseat King Robert. I’ll die before I allow them to force me …”

Heath embraced her, his arms circling her tightly. She kept her gaze lowered and couldn’t see his face. “Nay, Sweetness, they’ll die for threatening you. Leave this to me.”

She shivered at his hostile words. “I won’t have you endangered, nor your comrades and their families. This is not your problem, Heath, but mine.”

He tilted her chin back and set his mouth near her cheek. “You are not without help, Lillia. I won’t let you face this alone.”

At that moment, Lillia trembled for she was alone and regardless of his words, she wouldn’t involve Heath. Her enemy would not be his.