Page 88 of The Throne Seeker (Vallorian #1)

R ose was the first to rise that day, expecting to see sunlight pouring over the bed.

Instead, rain tapped against the glass, providing a comforting white noise.

She almost thought last night was just a dream until she felt Roman’s arm draped lazily across her waist, relaxed and content. Her stomach fluttered at the sight.

She ran fingers through his golden-brown hair, then down his chest, drawing lazy circles on his skin, savoring the feeling of him under her fingertips.

She forced herself up, untangling herself from him and stretching her arms. She was about to get up when Roman’s hand grabbed hers.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked, a handsome smile already formed on his lips.

It was such a welcomed sight that she couldn’t help but smile back. “I’m starving,” she whined, struggling to tug him towards the door.

“So am I,” he said with a wicked grin.

His strong arms easily dragged her back onto the bed before he placed a long, slow kiss on her lips. He pulled back just far enough to say, “Good morning.”

“More like good afternoon,” Rose corrected, looking outside. “We must’ve slept through most of the day.”

“Well, what do you expect when you keep me up all night,” he teased with a playful wink. “What do you want to do today?”

“What do you mean?”

“I want you to pick. Whatever you want to do, we’ll do.”

She looked out the window at the rain. “Could we just… skip training and stay in?”

Roman leaned forward, placing a chaste kiss on her forehead. “If that’s what you want.”

“It is. And food.”

He laughed—actually laughed . The beautiful sound made her silly little lovesick heart flutter, making her want to eat him, too.

“Come on, then, let’s feed you before you starve.” He surprised her by lifting her and tossing her over his shoulder, earning a startled squeal.

They found Gretta helping in the kitchens, overjoyed to see Roman awake and well. She whipped up sandwiches for them and visited with them as they ate. Gretta’s smile widened when she noticed their hands clasped together, clearly aware that they had shared the same bedroom the night before.

Hazel, on the other hand, looked devastated, her usually bright face solemn as she helped Gretta with the dishes. Rose tried to offer her a warm smile but received nothing but a cold-cutting glare.

Once they finished eating, Rose requested to visit the library. She sifted through the large, glorious room, finding more books to add to her “to read” pile. Roman recommended some and dissuaded others as they browsed through novels and short stories alike.

He read a few chapters aloud while she leaned back against his chest, gazing at the pages alongside him.

His deep voice soothed her to her core, vibrating against her spine.

The sentiment made her close her eyes and tip her head back onto his shoulder, memorizing the sound.

She was confident she could listen to him read forever, discovering one of her new favorite activities to do together.

She was obsessed with how he made it a point to subtly touch her occasionally—a brush of his hand, a light kiss on the head, holding her from behind. Anything to remind her he was thinking of her at all times.

It made her completely mad and content all at once.

After finishing in the library, they pillaged a few sweets from the kitchens and returned to his room.

Rose gazed out the large, protruding windows, watching raindrops plop into the lake. Thunder grumbled in the sky as misty gray clouds covered the mountain peaks, obscuring all but their bases.

Looking out, she couldn’t help but think of her mother. She missed her terribly, wanting to tell her everything that had happened last night, curious to know if she thought she was making the right choice or if she was completely mad.

With a twinge of sorrow, her mind wandered to Tristan, wondering if he’d found his own happiness.

Roman approached her from behind, breaking her trance. He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her neck while resting his chin on her shoulder. “What are you thinking about?” he asked softly.

“I’m thinking of the castle. Of my mum and…” Her voice drifted off.

“Tristan,” Roman finished for her, his voice not angry but still not pleased.

Her chest tightened as she turned around to face him. She forced herself to meet his gaze, expecting his eyes to be cruel. It was worse—they looked hurt.

“I’m sorry, I?—”

“You have nothing to be sorry for. You were clear about how you still feel about him.”

She took his face into her hands, unable to stand the soul-crushing look he was giving her. “You must understand, Roman. Look at me,” she ordered, making sure he was listening to what she was about to say. “It’s true I love him, but I’m no longer in love with him. I can’t be… not after you.”

He nodded weakly, still not looking sure.

“You believe me, don’t you?”

Roman gazed at her softly, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Of course I do.”

“It’s just… I’m scared to go back. To see your family, to see him. That’s all.”

“We don’t have to go back until you’re ready.”

“When is that? When are we going to tell them? What are we going to tell them? We can’t hide here forever.” She was already imagining Tristan’s rage—his family’s disappointment in them both.

“We don’t need to worry about it right now. We’ll figure it out when the time comes. Let’s just enjoy the time we have together like this.” He took her hand in his. “Can I ask you something?”

“Anything.”

“What exactly was the deal you made with the phoenix to save me?”

A nervousness crept up, taking hold of her limbs, as she thought about the terrible day she’d almost lost him.

“He asked for my help,” she replied, thinking back on the words that haunted her mind. “He asked me to sing to help it be reborn, to heal it… I think, in a way, he knew I needed to be healed, too.”

“So you can speak to all magical creatures?”

She nodded. “Thus far at least.”

He thought for a moment. “And the seer in the second challenge… Could you speak to her, too? You two looked like you were having some sort of… internal dialogue going on.”

“Yes, she spoke to me.” It was strange to be admitting it all out loud.

“She warned me there would be another war, one the likes we’d never seen, and I’d be at the heart of it.

I was afraid I’d be the cause of this war unless I let Tristan go…

just adding to the long list of reasons why I had to end things. ”

Roman’s eyes widened. “Have you told anyone else this?”

“No one. Who would believe me?”

“You’re telling me you’ve had to carry this burden all alone this entire time?”

She didn’t know why, but tears pricked her eyes, perhaps because she was relieved to finally share the burden. “Yes.”

Roman’s eyes grew bitter. “And I sat there and accused you.”

“Don’t blame yourself. You didn’t know.”

“I should’ve,” he seethed with self-resentment. “I should’ve known something wasn’t right. You were only protecting everyone else like you always had. I was such a fool.”

“It’s no one’s fault. I chose not to tell anyone.” Her skin grew cold as she thought about what else the seer had said. “She also spoke of someone she saw in my future, someone she seemed terrified of. She called him the Blood King.”

Roman frowned. “The Blood King?”

She nodded. “Does that mean anything to you?”

“No… no, it doesn’t.”

Her shoulders sank. Despite thorough research in the library over the past few weeks, she hadn’t been able to find a single book that mentioned the Blood King. And it appeared that no one else knew the answer either.

Silence reigned until he reached for her, noticing her distress. “You don’t need to be afraid. Nothing will happen to you. Not while I’m around.” He wrapped his arms around her. “We’ll find out more. I’ll help you.”

Rose’s heart swelled three sizes as she tightly hugged him back. She shivered, burrowing into his arms, seeking warmth from the cold air the storm had brought.

Roman motioned toward the fireplace. “Come sit.” He took her hand, guiding her to the warmth of the flames. After picking up a blanket and some cushions from the bench, he settled in front of the fire.

She joined him on the floor, nestling herself between his thighs, leaning her back against his chest. A blanket of warmth surrounded her on both sides, from Roman and the fire, sprawling across her skin. She relaxed at once.

A comfortable silence floated as he rested his chin on her shoulder. She melted, pressing the bridge of her nose against his neck, releasing a contented sigh as her body sunk into his.

“Roman,” she said softly.

“Hmmm?” he hummed.

“Why couldn’t you sleep? You were withering away. I swear you almost died, and now, suddenly, you seem fine…” She gazed up at him. “How is that?”

He stilled, not replying straightaway, taking his time to think. “I think it’s because of you.”

Her stomach plummeted. “What do you mean?”

“I haven’t been able to sleep alone since the night we spent together after the tavern,” he confessed, his voice raw and unsteady. “I didn’t sleep much that night because of the unexpected visitors. But over the next few nights, I knew something wasn’t right.”

Rose turned to him, the heat of the fire moving to her back, seeping through her dress.