Page 94 of The Nymph Prince

Would I lose Alek that night? Would he fight the darkness, but ultimately fail? And if he became evil, how much of the real Alek would be left?

Will I have to kill him?

Tears brimmed behind my closed eyes. I’d been angry at him lately, because he hadn’t said he loved me. If he didn’t love me, I refused to be pathetic and whine about it.

I’d rather him keep his silence than utter a lie.

“My prince?” Malik said, his voice soft. Tender.

“I only wished to breathe fresh air. I’m fine.”

I turned from the window and continued down the corridor. When I entered the room, I didn’t see Alek. A candle was lit on the small table that housed a basket of fresh fruit and bread should we become hungry in between meals. He was not in any of the four chairs. The bed was made. He wasn’t there, either.

Malik stood on the outside of the door, never entering a room unless given permission. “Is all well, my prince?”

“It is,” I said. “Goodnight.”

After closing the door, I walked farther into the room, looking at all the dark areas he might’ve been. He wouldn’t have been anywhere else in the castle that late. Not without letting me know.

A light breeze tickled my skin. I moved into the other area of the chamber and saw the balcony doors open.

Alek stood outside, bracing his arms on the railing as he looked out into the night.

As I approached him, I felt as if I was intruding on a private moment. That maybe he wanted to be alone.

Too latenow.

He looked at me before focusing back on whatever he’d been staring at.

When I was beside him, I leaned against the railing, too, but instead of looking at the town in the distance, I looked at him. At the same pair of sad eyes I’d first seen so long ago when I’d been in the water and staring up at him.

“How did talks with the king go?” he asked, keeping his eyes forward.

“It went well.”

He nodded.

“Tell me what you’re thinking,” I said, placing my hand on his.

Finally, he looked at me. “Will you force me to talk even if I don’t want to?”

“No. I’d never use my power on you.” I didn’t like whatever this was. The distance. The tension. “Did something happen while I was away?”

“Other than my own thoughts? No.” Silver flashed in his eyes before he pulled me against his chest and pressed his lips to my forehead. “I do not deserve you, nymph. You’re vocal in your passions and in your love for me, yet I’m a coward when it comes to doin’ the same.”

“You said you wouldn’t hide anything from me anymore,” I pointed out, slipping my arms around him.

“Aye, I know.”

“Then why do you now?”

“Everyone I’ve ever loved, Lorcan, I’ve lost.” Alek’s voice was strained. “My family was murdered and when I found a new family, some of them were killed because of me, too. Many good men fell that day on theCrimson Night. Men I’d spent six years sailin’ beside screamed as their guts spilled onto the deck. All because I was a wanted man. Then, I lost Fletch and Kellan. Not to death, no, but I lost them anyhow.”

He stepped away from me, shaking his head.

“Alek, I’m sorry you’ve suffered as much as you have, but I’m not going anywhere.”

I started walking closer, but he held out his arm to stop me.