He needed to leave. Now. He crossed to the bed and jammed his feet into his boots. From a chair in the corner, he pulled on his supply belt and a coat.

“Kiran, please. It was never my intention to hurt you.”

“What was your intention then?”

She shrugged, her eyes glistening with tears. “I wanted to be happy. I wanted to choose my own life, rather than having it chosen for me.”

“Is that not what is happening now? You feel guilty because you left, and now you are going to get yourself killed for it. If you go against the Lockes, they won’t care who you are. Princess or peasant child—they will cut down anyone in their way.”

“I left so I could become the woman I needed to be in order to protect my kingdom. And now it’s time for me to do that.”

“You’re a Stormling. What more did you need?”

She touched a hand to her heart, where Kiran could see the furious flashing of the skyfire storm in her breast through the fabric of her shirt, and the last piece of the puzzle clicked into place.

“You needed magic,” he said.

She nodded. “Mine never manifested, at least that’s what we all believed. It’s why I was supposed to marry Cassius. He was powerful enough to make up for my … flaws. But then I met you, and everything changed. I realized that I did not have to remain helpless.”

So they had always been a stepping stone for her. A means to an end. She would have used them to gain power and then left them to return home, the conquering Stormling.

“I see.”

“You saved my life that day, Kiran. You kept me from making what would have been the biggest mistake of my life.”

“Did I? Sounds to me like I was the mistake. If you never met me, the city would not be in upheaval, you would still have your crown, and you would be with your mother and your friends where you belong.”

“I belong with you.” She sounded so earnest, so sweet. And it only made him want to run, far and fast.

“But I don’t belong here, Princess.” His lips curled into a bitterly sad smile. “I never will.”

Then he opened the door, and he left.

Aurora stayed at the inn as long as she could the next morning, waiting for Kiran to come back. Jinx was with her, and the two had barely spoken. They did not need to. Aurora and Kiran had woken most of the inn with their argument. And while the others had no idea what had caused all the yelling, Jinx knew without having to be told.

Finally, when she could wait no more, Aurora said, “You don’t have to come. This is my mess. I won’t drag the rest of you into it.”