Taking a deep breath, I continued out of the library in silence and into the hallway to my chambers. Looking around, I didn’t recognize a single face, and no one even bothered to glance in my direction.
Of course not.
A beam of sunlight caught my attention as someone opened and closed the front door. With a sudden burst of courage, I jogged down the stairs, strode through the foyer, and threw the door open. Sunlight flooded the entryway and I held my face to it, welcoming the warmth.
I hadn’t been outside since I sparred with Rogue and even then, it had been cloudy. I hadn’t felt the warmth of the sun in days, maybe weeks.
Jogging down the stairs into the bailey, there were guards posted at the front gate, eyeing me, so I took a right, following the path. Around the corner was a steep, rocky incline that I would have to climb to continue, but considering my only other options were to go past the guards or back inside, I stalked forward with determination. Reaching up, I grabbed the rocky surface and began climbing.
Once I finally crested the tallest point, my mouth fell slack in awe. I was standing on a cliff edge, overlooking the ocean just as the sun began to set.
The sky to the west was painted vibrant red and orange, reflecting off the rippling water. The sky to the east was a dark navy blue, spotted with twinkling stars and a bright moon peeking over the horizon.
I had never been high enough to see the sky split like this and it was breathtaking. Sitting on the ledge, I brought my knees to my chest, admiring the view.
I had never seen much of anything in Auryna and I never truly expected to. Looking back, I knew I had silently accepted a fate of living through books, and once I was betrothed to Finley, it just solidified it. I knew in my bones I would live and die in that village, even as I tried to convince myself of broken dreams.
I may have been kidnapped and held prisoner, but this, right here, was the most incredible thing I’d ever seen.
A wave of guilt washed over me. I shouldn’t feel this way. It was wrong, so wrong, but I couldn’t help it. I never expected to see any other part of the realm, much less any land in Ravaryn, and sitting here, I couldn’t not appreciate the beauty I was staring at. No description in any book would ever compare.
Hopelessness pulled at my heart as I thought about going home, quickly followed by shame as I realized I didn’t want to. Not really. I didn’t want to stay here as a prisoner, but I also didn’t want to be handed back to my father, to live firmly within his grasp once again. Or worse, Finn’s.
Goddess, I cannot even fathom going back after all of this and marrying that small-minded fool.
Inhaling deeply, slowly, I breathed in the warm, briny air, letting it settle my nerves.
I just want to… live. Not survive.
Live.
I was lonely here, on enemy territory, and I knew no one. But I had freedom, in a twisted sort of way. I felt like a person rather than just the daughter of General Evander Starrin. The protected, fragile, ignorant daughter.
At the very least, I had developed a voice here and that felt… good.
Tightening my arms around my legs, I rested my chin on my knees and sat this way for some time as the sun disappeared under the ocean, welcoming the moon to take its place.
Just as the world went dark, lit only by the silver moonlight, the silhouette of a large creature appeared, flying through the sky toward the castle. Jumping to my feet, I rushed into the shadows, ready to retreat back down the incline.
But it wasn’t a creature.
It was Rogue.
I sat back, observing, as he coasted the wind, angling his wings down to descend toward the ground. It was graceful. Calm. Sneaking to the farthest corner of the castle, I peeked around as much as I could and watched as he stepped onto the ledge. He stood tall, relaxing his wings as he rolled his shoulders. His chest rose and fell with a deep breath and his head snapped in my direction.
Gasping, I jerked back behind the castle, my eyes wide, and my cheeks heated furiously. I paused for a second before running to where I had climbed up and descended quickly. Releasing and landing on my feet, I turned and bumped straight into a warm, muscled chest.
Chapter Fourteen
Ara
“Oh, I’m—” I stopped mid-apology when I looked up, locking eyes with Rogue. His hair hung in loose, wind-blown waves with a cocky grin on his face.
“Like what you see?”
I quickly stepped back, realizing I was still pressed into his bare chest. My eyes dropped to my palms on his skin and locked on the scar. My mouth fell open, the blood draining from my face.
It stretched diagonally from the left side of his neck, over his chest, and down his abdomen all the way to his right hip bone. It was thick and jagged as if it hadn’t wanted to heal. Like Iaso had forced it to close.