She could accept it as truth as she walked along the path. There was a peace to this place, a tugging of her heart. Even with Karl far down the path behind her, she still felt alone and encompassed by her surroundings.

Ahead, the trail met up with three other trails beneath an oak tree. As she approached the intersection, voices drifted through the trees. She was going to continue along the one she was following when she heard a familiar tenor voice.

She looked to her right. Damien?

The path on the right sloped down toward a gentle stream lined with bushes. Hesitantly, she turned right and started back toward the palace along the new path. Yes, it was definitely his voice.

Then she heard another voice. A sweet, bell-like voice answered his.

Selene stopped beside a flowering bush and looked toward the stream. Damien and Lady Adalyn stood on a small wooden bridge that crossed the stream. Lord Elric stood near his sister, his hand on her shoulder, and Taegis and another guard were situated in the shadows, guarding their lords and lady.

Lady Adalyn stood just below Damien’s chin, her light hair gathered over one shoulder, her silk dress flowing in the breeze. She appeared agitated by the way she wiped her face and looked down.

Damien spoke, then Lord Elric spoke as well. The three of them reminded Selene of how close House Luceras and House Maris were, and brought back the memories from Damien’s dreams, of when they were young and carefree. Before Quinn’s death. Before the deaths of Grand Lord Warin and his wife. Even now, they were comforting one another, like family.

Selene turned away from the tender scene and headed back toward the path she had been on. Seeing them together was like a dagger to the heart, reminding her that she was a stranger. She might have married Damien, but she was still a Ravenwood, with a history of deceit and blood. She didn’t belong here. Not with people like them.

She held a hand to her throat as she remembered Lady Bryren’s words: “Tell me, do you love each other?”

Damien was kind to her and had married her to save her life. And he was a man of integrity and duty and would treat their marriage as such. But did he love her?

Would he have chosen Lady Adalyn instead if he had been given a choice?

I only married you to save myself.

Selene walked back to the path on the left, but instead of heading toward the palace, she started deeper into the gardens. The sun was now sinking behind her, and shadows lengthened across the garden. Her tears blurred her vision, and she wiped them away, angry at the swirl of emotions filling her chest.

She heard Karl behind her, racing to catch up. “Lady Selene,” he called out. “Are you all right?”

She stopped for a moment and looked back, her mind in a fog.