He seemed surprised by her sudden embrace, but after another moment passed, he put his arms around her shoulders and rested his cheek against her hair. She felt so short compared to him, yet so warm and protected too. She savored the moment, drowning in it.

“I’ve told you this because I trust you completely, and I know that you are truly loyal to the king. I’ve harbored doubts about Morwenna for some time, and she proved herself a traitor this evening by accusing you of her treachery. My Trynne.”

He pulled back a little and lifted her chin so she could look up at him. The silver moonlight revealed his expression of hunger and torment and fierce protectiveness. The wind blew hair across her face again, and this time, he cleared it away before she could.

“Trynne,” he whispered urgently.

Her heart was aching. It hurt down to her deepest core. She loved him still. She had always loved him.

And when he started kissing her cheek, her nose, and then her mouth, she lost all control of herself and kissed him back, clinging to him to keep from flying away on the next gust. He pulled her against him as she gripped the front of his tunic. Warmth and giddiness tore loose inside her. She wanted to be his. She wanted to be his always.

The sound of the trapdoor slamming against the flagstones behind her caused her to flinch and pull away. She hastily parted from Fallon, still feeling the memory of his mouth on her lips, her legs trembling with exhilaration.

When the aging captain poked his head up, Fallon looked at the man as if he were sorely tempted to blister his ears with curses.

“Unless the battle has just started, you’d better have a good excuse for interrupting me . . .” he said.

The captain shrugged helplessly. “The thief is dead.”

CHAPTER THIRTY Rage

CHAPTER THIRTY

Rage

Silence followed the captain’s pronouncement. Dead? The man who’d hurt her family so much was dead? She wasn’t sure how to feel.

A scowl crossed Fallon’s face, and he said, “I will be down shortly. Do not touch the gate. It could be a trick.”

“Aye, my lord,” the captain said, ducking back down. He left the trapdoor open for them to follow. Fallon stood there for a moment, one hand on his side, the other gripping his furrowed brow. Trynne’s heart pained her. Their situation buffeted her worse than the wind.

“We should go back down,” she said, knowing it was wise but not wanting to be wise at that moment. She gazed up at the tortured look on his face.

“Trynne,” he said, stepping forward. She retreated, keeping space between them, holding up her hand. He looked at her hand as if it were a stone wall.

He shook his head at her. “Please don’t push me away.”