Maris squeezed her lightly. “It’s all right, though. Really. While the rest of my family refuses to speak my name, I have the best brother anyone could ever ask for. One who isn’t afraid to let me be myself. One who wouldn’t hesitate to die for me. In the end, I’m the luckiest bitch in the universe.”

He stepped back to smile down at her. “Well, second luckiest. Personally, I think you have the number one slot. Want to trade?”

She laughed. “I love you, Mari. I really do. You’re such a special gem.”

Maris sighed wistfully. “If only you were a gorgeous man saying that to me, sweetie. Oh well… one day.” He sobered. “I love you, too, Zarya. Thank you for saving him today.”

“Team effort,” she reminded him.

He shook his head at her. “You have a hard time accepting praise, don’t you?”

“It makes me really uncomfortable.”

“All right, then. You suck. Now, I’m going to check on Ryn to see if he needs anything while he deals with the firestorm over this.”

Smiling, Zarya watched him leave. She really did love that man. But what she felt for him was nothing compared to what her heart held for Darling.

And she’d almost lost him today…

Worse, she was the biggest threat he had to his well-being and reign. Closing her eyes, she kept trying to blot out the image of the e-mail they’d received after his attack.

We are the Resistance and you are holding one of ours. There will be no peace and no quarter so long as you have her. Release Zarya Starska or we will burn the palace to the ground and destroy every aristo we find.

Protests had been breaking out steadily since the attack. Even now, there was a group of rabid protestors at the palace gates.

Because of her.

I have to leave him. In spite of what Maris said, and in spite of the pain it would cause her, she couldn’t stay here.

For the sake of Darling’s life, she would have to go. She knew it deep in her heart. But knowing what needed to be done and doing it when you didn’t want to were two different things.

I don’t want to go. She remembered how desolate she’d felt when Darling had gone missing. Remembered the nights of feeling lost and vacant. She didn’t want to go through that again.

But if she didn’t, he’d be dead, and then she would never be able to see him. Period.

I’ll either have to live a life without him in it, knowing he’s alive and well. Or live a life where he’s dead.

Either way, she lost. There was no choice.

Somehow she was going to have to find the strength to break his heart.

And ruin the rest of her life.

14

“What the hell are you doing here? And dressed like that!”