Page 53 of Crimson Kingdom
“Perfect,” she nodded again. “Gallagher, you and I will go with them so we can explain to my parents what happened. Theo will come with us. Gwyn and Davin can alert the local magistrate.”
If she said anything else, I didn’t hear it. My head lulled against Evander’s chest, and the sound of his beating heart chased me into sleep.
CHAPTERTWENTY-NINE
Gallagher’s healing always took a lot out of me, and this time was no exception. After my father barreled out of the castle and carried me up to my rooms, I promptly fell back asleep for the next several hours.
Mamá was by my side when I awoke, reading in the chair next to my bed.
“How are you feeling?” she asked, coming to put a cool hand on my forehead.
“Oh, you know,” I shrugged, wincing when it tugged at my abdomen. “Tired. Sore. Like I’m sick to death of looming life decisions.”
“So, is this a bad time to tell you that there are two men who refuse to leave the hallway?” She looked somewhere between amused and sympathetic.
But really, this had gone on long enough.
“I suppose I should deal with that,” I muttered.
“You don’t have to see either of them,” she told me, running her hand through my curls. “And you don’t have to make your decision tomorrow... The people will understand if you’ve been injured, and so will the Council.”
As tempting as it was to hide in my room from all of it, that would be unfair to everyone involved.
“No,” I shook my head. “It’s time.”
I sighed, swinging my feet out of bed. The wound at my abdomen tugged, but Gallagher had done his job well. It was more soreness than sharp, agonizing pain, not enough to keep me from walking.
Still, my mother couldn’t help but hover. She came over to put an arm around me, walking with me to my sitting room.
“So...which one would you like to see?” she asked cautiously.
It was a loaded question. Which one did I want to see? Which oneshouldI want to see?
I took a deep breath. I had known for a while what I needed to do. Now it was just a matter of working up the courage to do it.
“Could you send Theo in?” I asked.
Even twenty years of being Queen had not entirely granted my mother the ability to hide her feelings. Her mouth pressed into a tight line, but she nodded.
“If that’s what you want.” For all that she had been trying to be neutral in this, she definitely had feelings about it. “I’m going to speak with your father about the rebels, and I’ll be back to check on you later.”
Her way of letting me know she was giving me privacy and space to deal with this, whatever her opinion on the matter.
I nodded and she left. Moments later, Theo entered.
“You should be in bed,” he said, concern evident in his voice.
“I’m all right,” I reassured him. “Besides, we needed to talk.”
His nod was more resigned than I had been expecting.
“It’s--” I realized abruptly that I had no idea where to begin.
“Evander,” he finished for me.
I opened my mouth, then closed it, but something in my expression must have given me away. Theo sighed, shaking his head.
“I do love you,” I told him earnestly.