Bleeding Ink

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

As per custom, Cleo stood with Urell to her left and Janan to her right as the three of them watched the Krahzaran envoy pack up their horses to leave. It had only been a few hours since their meeting in the council room where Kav gave the news about the Lady in White. Cleo was trying her best not to ask every question she had, especially when he revealed he thought Malik knew who she was.

"I'll do my best to wring it from him," he promised her right after he told them. "Especially when I have a feeling there might be another attempt on your life."

"What do you mean?" Cleo said through her teeth.

Kav gestured to those in the room, then to the ones she knew stood right outside the closed door. "My guardsmen are loyal to me and only me. They do not serve my mother or my brother. But there have been rumors spreading through the Krahzaran palace that my mother plans on sending someone here, to weed out any unrest within Arloerin."

"And there is no unrest," Urell growled at him, taking a protective stance beside Cleo.

"That I agree on," Kav nodded, not even shrinking back at Urell's exposed fangs. His attention was on Cleo and her alone. "Everyone loves you here, Cleo. You've done nothing but protect and love them in return, give them everything they could ever want and then some. From what I've seen, no one would go against you in that way."

"And you?" she found herself asking, twining her hands together behind her back to keep them from shaking, to keep him from seeing them. "Would you have ulterior motives in coming here, Prince Kaveh?"

By the flash of his light hazel eyes, she knew she'd hurt him by even asking the question. "Never. You know that. You know me, Cleo."

The two of them were met with silence as they stared at one another, though all eyes were on them.

I love you and would never do anything like that to hurt you, Kav told her down their mating bond.

I know, she replied. I just...I had to be sure. And I love you, too. More than anything.

As she watched him ready his horse, Cleo wanted nothing more than to beg Kav not to leave, not to go back to Krahzara. He had to, though. He'd promised to try and find out more himself and with his guardsmen's help. They would find out what was going on...and if the Lady in White planned to take part in the scheme.

Now, though, Cleo stepped up to Kav's side as he looked over every buckle of the saddle, made sure all of his things were secured in the saddlebags. "Do you have everything you need?" she asked him, very well knowing the eyes that were watching. She wanted to be close to him. As close as she could be since she'd have to go weeks without seeing him. And at this point...well, she really didn't care

"I do, thank you," he said with a small smile and a nod. "Are you really worried about me?"

"Why would I not be, especially after what you told me earlier?" she whispered for only them to hear. "If your mother knows you suspect something..."

"I'll see what I can find out," he told her, reaching for her hand before pulling his away. They had parts to play, parts she was starting to not like, too. "If not from what my mother's guardsmen, then I'll grill Malik on what he does. I won't be able to send it to you in a letter, not when it can be intercepted, so you'll see me as soon as I learn anything of importance."

Cleo stepped even closer, tilting her face up toward his. "Then I hope you find something soon, all right? Because I want you here, with me. I want you home."