He spoke over me. “It’s going to destroy you, Bloom. It’s going to destroy us.” He sighed and lowered his voice. “I will admit it was wrong of me to explain myself in such an indelicate way, but I was right to have said that this is what is best. We need to take a different approach to get what we want. It’s honestly that simple—”

“Simple?” I almost shouted. “How fucking dare you—”

“Bloom, if you would please just try to understand—”

“Enough. I will hear no more of the same poisonous excuses.” I stabbed my finger into his chest. “You blamed me for warming another’s bed, my foolish king, and now?” My smile shook with my heart. “Now I get to do the same to you.”

I left before he could stop me. Before the tears flooding my eyes could fall.

Footsteps clacked upon the stone stairs.

Most of the carpets had been removed after the towers were set upon by a small unit of mortal soldiers two summers ago, leaving the drafty rock-hewn walls even colder during the icy months. The humans had all been slain in the halls and on the stairs before Rorn had even opened the doors to our rooms, his sword in hand and half naked.

If you looked closely, you could still see the crimson specks within the mortar.

Those humans had been the first and the last to breach our walls. The last of them to die had said they’d scaled the northern mountains beyond the towers. Many of his comrades had fallen during their journey, lost to the perilous and steep terrain. Which had left just twelve to fire iron arrows into the chests of our guards in the rear courtyard before they’d encountered more guards inside our home.

There were now shifter sentinels living in packs within the mountains.

Theenon knocked once on the open door to my painting parlor. “Majesty, might I tempt you with a walk in the gardens?”

“Not today, Theenon.”

He lingered, the sun glinting with the shine of his head. “It’s a beautiful day.”

I curled my legs over the window seat, smiling because he knew I was well aware of that. “I know.”

His wiry brows scrunched. “Some lunch, then?”

I shook my head, and he bowed, taking his leave.

I stared at the door, my eyes fastened on the bronze handle. Perhaps fear was to blame, but I failed to understand how I hadn’t seen it before. Why I hadn’t realized just how lonely love had left me until I’d tried desperately to cling to the rubble of what it had once been.

Since my return to Wistensia some days ago, I’d walked the meadows surrounding the towers as dawn had rolled in. I’d received the usual smiles from the groundskeepers and other staff as I’d plucked at the clover and wildflowers with aimless intent.