Page 87 of Swords of Soul and Shadow (Gate Chronicles #3)

“Clara’s father is the Shield Marshal of southern Jayde, and she can trace her family’s roots back to General Samuel McKenzie.

The betrothal contract was drawn up when Jove was sixteen, when they met for the first time.

Clara’s a year younger, but the arrangement ended up working out quite well for them.

He even went out of the way to propose when she turned eighteen as if it wasn’t all prearranged.

He married for love and political reasons.

” Kase rolled his eyes. “Always been lucky.”

Hallie wanted to ask about Kase, but wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer. The Stradat Lord Kapitan had made it very clear at the estate dinner that Hallie wasn’t worthy of his son. She never would be.

Wouldn’t it be better to know the truth? Wasn’t that what she’d learned with the Lavinia situation—or at least what she was trying to learn?

She picked at a fingernail. “What about you?”

She hoped the music and chatter from the others covered the fact that she didn’t sound as nonchalant as she’d intended.

Kase took a little bit to respond. He tore the rest of his bread into pieces and tossed them into the bowl.

Blasted emotions. She’d pushed too far. It was none of her business. “You don’t owe me an answer. I’m sorry. I just…”

Just what? Just wanted to know whether he believed the same as his father? That he wished he could’ve married Lavinia? That he regretted the last few months?

Kase shook his head. “If anyone deserves that answer, you do. My marriage was meant to be political, but…well, you heard the Stradat Lord Kapitan. I wasn’t signed away at sixteen because he believed I needed to mature a little first.” He rubbed the back of his neck.

“Mother says she just wants me to be happy, even if she keeps dropping heavy-handed hints about grandchildren…” He coughed, blushing a little. “But Jove seems to have that covered.

“Up until now, I simply wanted to live my life and forget whatever societal obligations my family believes I have. But if I found…someone…who wouldn’t mind spending an entire day discussing books, politics, or anything at all, I could see myself married.

” He twisted the ring around his finger.

Ana’s ring. After a long, hesitant pause, he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. “You?”

Hallie weighed her answer. While hiking through the Narden Pass, they’d had a similar conversation about Niels being the one she’d been supposed to marry, but that had been different.

Nothing had happened with Kase other than a few near-kisses.

The conversation now was vastly different, and with the added pressure of their earlier fight, she didn’t know how to respond.

So much had happened. They were no longer dancing around one another, unsure of the other’s feelings.

So she simply averted her eyes. “Not sure if it’s an option now, with everything.”

The music shifted to something slower, giving the dancers a little reprieve.

Her father smiled before settling a hand on her mother’s waist. Hallie caught her mother’s eye roll, but her father merely chuckled and pulled her closer.

Hallie chewed on her lip. Her parents were opposites in many ways, but they’d made it work.

They complemented one another. It was nice—a perfect love story.

“Want to dance?” Kase asked softly.

She turned slightly. His earnest eyes sparkled in the light from the fire.

He looked positively striking, laced with the golden light, the magical forest canopy twinkling above him.

Her heart thumped painfully. She wanted to say yes so badly, but all she could think about was their fight earlier and the future they would never have, no matter if Hallie were a queen or a pauper.

Even if his father decided to allow Hallie into Kase’s life, she wasn’t sure what the future held with the war and the need to combine Essence powers into the swords.

He knew that. He knew they couldn’t be anything more, because that would only lead to heartbreak.

“I don’t know, Kase.”

He waited a moment before digging into his pocket and pulled out a slightly flattened piece of candy wrapped in what used to be shiny blue paper. He held it out to Hallie. She raised an eyebrow. A caramel.

“I’ve been saving it for you.”

She eyed it. Had he sat on it? “How long?”

Kase cocked his head and looked up, putting on a show of thinking about it. Playfulness tinged his tone when he said, “Oh, it’s just the last one in the bag I picked up in Nar.”

“Am I really supposed to believe you ate the rest of the bag all by yourself only to save the final one for me on the odd chance I returned to Kyvena?” Hallie relaxed a little at their banter. That was comfortable. That was safe.

“I don’t know if you know this, but you’re quite stubborn.”

Hallie narrowed her eyes. “I’m not that stubborn.”

“You are, and that’s why I saved it for you. I knew you’d be back. And I knew you’d throttle me for taking the last caramel.”

“You act like being stubborn is a bad thing.”

“I would never say that.” Kase had the audacity to look appalled by her accusation, though the twinkle in his eyes lessened the effect.

“You implied it.”

“Well, if you weren’t, you’d be out a delicious caramel now, wouldn’t you?”

Hallie let out a small huff before shaking her head and reaching out to take the candy. “Fine.”

She inspected the wrapper. The blue color had faded where it’d crinkled, though it still shone with the same shade as his eyes.

It brought back the memory of the trapper cabin with Kase, what he’d said to her there…

that it didn’t matter who her ancestors were, only that she was Hallie Walker: intelligent, spirited, and stubborn as the stars.

“I’m sorry, Hals. I should’ve told you about Lavinia.” His voice was soft. “And I shouldn’t have started the fight. I lost my temper, but I won’t apologize for defending you.” He paused. “But Niels…I’ll apologize for that. I overreacted.”

Hallie didn’t look up, only used the edge of her fingernail to open the candy wrapper slightly. Heat crept into her cheeks, into her core.

He took a deep breath. “I don’t know if you knew this, either, but I was a little bit of a stars-idiot before I stumbled into your bookshop.

Still am sometimes. Ask Jove.” Hesitantly, he reached over and took her hand.

He rubbed his thumb across her knuckles.

“I’ve learned that I must live with the past, and despite the fact I want to go pummel an unconscious Niels for making a move on you, I understand your need for closure.

I’ve never been good at getting that, so I can’t fault you for it. ”

Hallie only stared at their hands, her jumbled emotions making it impossible to figure out how she ought to react. Because he was right. She knew Kase was the one she wanted, not Niels. If Niels hadn’t kissed her, she might never have known with such certainty.

“We both have pasts, and I’ve made more mistakes than I can count, but…

” Kase laced his fingers through hers. She didn’t stop him, and her heart picked up speed.

“What you need to know now is that I love you, and I’ve…

well…I’ve never, er, I’ve never told anyone that before.

” The places where their palms and fingers touched tingled almost painfully.

He squeezed her hand. “You’re the first.”

How did she follow a speech like that? What had she done to deserve such a perfect confession?

But the little voice in her head wasn’t to be deterred. It couldn’t accept the words at face value; it needed logic. It needed proof. “But how do I know you’re not just saying that?”

Kase blinked, looking perplexed. “Why would I just be saying that?”

“I don’t know, because we’re being pulled into some ancient war that could potentially spell death and destruction for all mankind?”

Kase hooked a finger underneath her chin. He was closer now, and she had trouble concentrating on their conversation and her anger and any arguments she had earlier. All she could think about was just how close his lips were to her own. At that moment, all her reservations vanished.

He grinned her favorite grin, the one where if she’d been standing, her knees might’ve given out.

He murmured his next words so close, they danced across her lips.

“We could be sitting in a library reading books, with nothing to bother us but the proper use of dinner forks, and I would still love you. And if you’ll let me, I’ll prove it. ”

Hallie held her breath as his lips teased hers, waiting for her to say yes. Part of her still wanted to push him away, to wallow in her hurt, but she couldn’t. Because despite everything he’d done, she still wanted him.

“I…I…” Stars in heaven. She couldn’t think.

Kase’s smug grin widened further, knowing the exact effect he had on her.

Oh stars, Hallie’s entire body was about to combust right then and there.

Every single last nerve tingled as if it’d been sprinkled with the brightest stardust. No matter how hard she fought it, even if they never found the peace they deserved, she was his, and he was hers.

A sparking sound exploded around them. Kase and Hallie sprang apart, looking for the source. It sounded just like an electrobolt firing, but many Yalvs laughed and cheered as the odd bonfire burned brighter.

Stars. At least they didn’t bump heads that time.

“Yreava!” a few Yalvs shouted, continuing to dance. The frozen fiddler, also caught off guard, shook his head and started his tune again in sync with his Yalven counterpart.

“What did they say?” Kase asked.

Hallie unwrapped her caramel and popped it into her mouth. “Bless the day. Tonight’s celebration is for Toro’s victory over Jagamot the first time.”

“Well, it’s not been a terrible day, I guess.” Kase said, standing and stretching. “Seems like it’ll end well.”