Page 13 of Crimson Kingdom
I wasn’t sure I was ready to do either.
“And what if it takes a while?” My voice was quieter than I wanted it to be.
Theo waited to respond until I returned my gaze to him, a slight smile gracing his lips. “Take all the time you need. I’m not going anywhere.”
Between his words and his expression, my resolve was already chipping away, little by little.
It could be so easy…
“I’m glad you’re here.” The admission tumbled from my lips, and his smile broadened.
“I am, too,” he said softly.
“Iiro doesn’t need you back soon?” I asked to fill the strange shift in the air between us.
Theo shook his head. “He’ll be fine without me, and if he needs something, he can send a messenger.”
His expression turned thoughtful, almost as if he were weighing his next words carefully.
“After you sent word for me to come here, I reached out to Bear.” His features darkened. “We still need their permission to marry...if you agree, of course. Iiro will send word when he hears back.”
The room tilted, and my heart pounded.
Was it anger? Something else?
Stars, Evander had tried to give me back to Elktwice.Had said my being there was a punishment to him. Had made it clear that kissing me was a mistake. Had told me to leave.
And now, now I had to obtain hispermissionbefore moving on with my life?
I took three steadying breaths, exhaling slowly.
This is fine.It would be fine. He would probably just send the same list of terms he had proposed at the negotiations, and I could put this all behind me, like I had already resolved to do.
“Are you all right?” Theo’s voice broke through my thoughts.
“Mhmm. Yes. I am...very great,” I lied quickly, and badly, before closing the space between us and linking my arm in his.
He narrowed his eyes in suspicion but didn’t say anything else as I led him out the door to the upper hall where my family waited.
“But I’m not sure you will be able to say the same after meeting my family.” I tried for a lighter tone. “They are not known for being either amicable or accommodating.”
I winked at him, and he chuckled.
The butterflies were back, furiously beating their wings within my stomach, as I tried to brace myself for what would come next.
I didn’t honestly imagine they would be unkind, or that Theo would make a bad impression, but still, I held my breath.
Because it all felt too real now. Toopermanent.
CHAPTEREIGHT
Theo meeting my family went nearly the way I had imagined.
Avani was cautiously pessimistic but greeted him politely. Mamá was a pinch more welcoming, but Da’ was another story entirely, constantly glaring at the Elk Lord and grunting more than usual in response to anything Theo said.
And the twins, of course, had insisted on confusing him by swapping names whenever Theo almost had them right.
Theo had done his best to keep up with the chaos that was my family, though it was clear by his posture and the tense set of his jaw that he was overwhelmed. His family—stars, hispeople—were all far more subdued than mine.