Heart of the Wolf Prince

Chapter 29

Life's been grey since the king's announcement. Althea hasn't looked my way since I attacked her – always staring down at her feet or some other object when I pass by – but there is no lost love there. And I think I actually would've taken joy in that if it weren't for the fact Kohl was doing the exact same thing.

But, perhaps against my better judgement, I still refuse to give up on us.

I've been researching into types of poison we can slip into the king's drink. Of course, this plan would require Kohl to be willing to challenge his father -- the chances of that looking bleak enough as is -- but I'm confident enough in my research to know we would still have a shot. There's a plant called Mittenmace that grows in the woods of Blunia, the Moon territory, which can induce fever and minor paralysis if ingested. Of course, that would require someone going to Blunia to find some, but that's not enough to deter me. I'm determined to see this shit through even if Kohl is having doubts, and if that makes me a hopeless idiot then at least I can say I tried.

So, when I get a letter of summons this Saturday afternoon, written in Kohl's handwriting and sealed with the Gahndor sigil, you can imagine my distress. This is about to be the best or worst confrontation of my life, and I'm not sure I'm prepared for it.

Solemnly, I dress in a knee-length black dress with glossy black flats to match. When I make my way into the hall and up the stairs to Kohl's quarters, I can feel my insides knotting as though someone is winding my entrails around a pole in my core. And by the time I reach Kohl's big black double doors, I am a mess of nerves.

I breathe in. I breathe out. I knock.

The door opens almost immediately. There, he stands, looking as devastatingly gorgeous as ever. It takes my breath away, and as his golden eyes rove slowly over my face, I am overwhelmed with the urge to throw myself into his arms. I hadn't been allowing myself to acknowledge the pain of his absence, but standing right before him, in all his dark glory, the pain rushes into me like a tidal wave.

I ball my hands into fists. I cannot give into those urges. Not now. Not when he is looking at me like that.

"Come in," he says. His voice is rigid and holds no trace of the warmth I once knew. I push past him without a word, determined to feel as stoic as he looks. My façade is about as fortified as glass.

I step into the room, my gaze going involuntarily to the bed. My heart twists again. How many nights have we fallen asleep together in that bed? Made love in it? The memories feel hollow now, almost distant.

Kohl shuts the door, and the bang drags me from my reverie. For a moment, neither of us say a word. We just stand in the endless depths of silence, our backs to each other.

Finally, Kohl speaks. "I'm going to take a wife."

I whirl towards him, my heart falling. His back is still to me. "W-what?"

Kohl turns his head, though not enough to look at me. His eyes focus on something to his right. "In three days, I will choose a girl from the Queenstrials to be my wife. I have stalled for too long. It is time for me to face reality."

I open and close my mouth, choked noises escaping me as I try and fail to form words. After several seconds of my sputtering, Kohl turns to face me, his gold eyes locking mine in an instant.

"It's decided, Naomi," he says coolly. "I am going to take a wife, sire an heir, and uphold my duties as a Gahndor royal. In the meantime, you will continue to work as my maid – an actual maid – and once I ascend the throne, you will be pardoned from any potential exile and sent home to Hestenia. You will go on to live your life as I will mine."