Page 126 of To Touch A Silent Fury

The Dragon Prince’s body curled in on himself as his face painted his grief. “I’m so sorry.”

I sighed. “It isn’t your fault.”

He looked ready to cry himself. “If I can do anything, you must tell me.”

Marry me, then. Marry me yourself.I wanted to yell it, scream it.

But I was exhausted. The idea must have already occurred to him, we’d already danced around it once this night, and I couldn’t take his rejection tonight, not on top of everything else.

So instead, I pointed back to the shadows he appeared from. “Just go, Lang. I need to be alone.”

He nodded, and walked away without complaint. I missed him before he had even disappeared, and hated myself for it. Every part of me felt cold, and so deeply alone.

Three options. Marry the Wragg, and live my life as a true Broken with a man who only wished to control me.

Run away, and live my life on the run. How long would I last, with a young dragon to take care of?

Or convince Langnathin to marry me in his brother’s place. A bride his father didn’t approve for his lesser son, let alone his chosen. The Dragon Prince might care for me, pity me. But he would not risk himself, his legacy, his title, for me. And I could not expect him to.

A span of days to make the call as to which horror I could more easily stomach.

It was the first time I had called him Lang. I wondered if he noticed.

33

Tani

The morning sun peeked through the slit in the curtains as Wainstrill knocked and entered my room before I had so much as lifted my head from the pillow.

“Your lady’s maid is here,” he said, all curtness.

I pulled myself up to a seated position, and my vision blurred. My whole face ached. It wasn’t the drink, I hadn’t had more than three cups. But I’d been up until the first light spilled grey, crying and thinking through every possibility. It was only exhaustion and the warmth of the child next to me that pulled me under.

Daffinia wafted into the room in a bright green skirt. In one hand, she held a pair of fine red gloves, the leather clenched in a tight fist. In her other hand, she held a bowl away from her body.

“Oh,” she said. “You’re still abed.”

I settled my feet into the rug and poured myself some water from the jug at my bedside, one hand resting on my dragon’sback. “I am not used to your festivities. I found them quite exhausting.” I finished my cup of water and poured another.

Daffinia nodded. “I am sure. To an outsider, it must all be quite stressful.”

She emphasised the word outsider as she studied my swollen eyes. I forced a smile and nodded, wanting nothing more than to strangle her and ask her to leave. I was in no mood for visitors, and less mood for the king’s sister’s little spies.

The maid lifted the gloves. “A gift.”

“From whom?” I asked, dreading the answer.

She smiled. “Your prince, of course.”

We both knew who she meant this time. I reached for them, and she placed the soft things in my hand. Gloves. Riding gloves, at that. For a caged woman. In Tanmer. Of all the gifts, these were some of the most redundant I could think of.

Numb, I placed them beside me on the bed.

She thrust out the bowl. “And this is another gift. For your beast.”

I took this one more eagerly, seeing the offcuts of venison and goat, certainly from last night’s feast. “Thank you.”

Daffinia nodded.