rown a game,” he said, turning to regard me w

I’d lacked the last time he’d seen me. I was taller than I’d liked to have been and no amount of time in the sun had been able

softly curled its way down my back. My waist was small and my once stringy limbs now had a graceful ap

who said we were n

e would an abandoned kitten before trying to

cked them together, entwining them in the hope that their reaction to him would

birthdays. He’d said a growing man needed the education of many, not just the same select few his entire life. He’d also said that the wisdom gain

, and for one reason or another, father had seen the wisdom in sending Raff along with him. Raff, the wet nurses son. Ra

n a message, needing

odd

ffairs of men, as was my place, but I knew it had something to do with the lands that lay north of Lord Patrick Schoone’s, one of Father’

their distance and tend their own affairs, as long as each other’s borders were respected. Apparently, the new Lord didn’t

would?” I asked, disentangling my mind fro

me too. After everything he’d said about fulfilling promises, he still hadn’t made a single move towards me. Had he

rowning,

image of serenity despite the disquiet feeling growing

g him, that I'd not once considered how much h

d be done with it. I didn’t like the way my stomach was rising to my th

ingers then back to my face.

id not wish to raise questions over who had given it to me.” It seemed like a safe e

at his gift of love had never broke contact with my skin, not since the moment he’d curled my fingers aro

his mouth

butcher my heart with his words. “If you’ve found a

ould forget yo

nk.” I looked up and met his eyes, and I knew in that instant that I’d been wrong. Wro

could replace you, Caitlyn. I coul

up and claim his promise. My entire body was tr

heaved with my quickening, expectant breaths, making my head swim. I’d dreamt of this, pictu

itl

y. “Fynn!” I said, forcing a shaky smile to my lip

Raff’s, then back again. “I was in a meeti

f my efforts to calm myself as I took hi