Page 54 of Lies That Blemish
“What?” I asked.
“What are you going to tell Alek?”
Oh crap.Out of everything that happened the last twenty-four hours, I’d forgotten about sweet Alek.
Chapter 19
Aisling
Nerves atea hole in my stomach as I stood on Alek’s doorstep and knocked. He’d still be in town from the Lottery. We weren’t called to be back in Sky Reach until tomorrow.
When he answered, he grinned hugely. “Aisling. Come in.” He opened the door wider, and his mother scurried from the couch to stand. “Empress.” She fumbled with a curtsy, and I hated myself for what I was about to do.
I shook my head. “Sorry. I need to talk to you privately, actually.” I waved to his mom.
Alek stepped outside, looking expectantly at me as he shut the door behind him. “What’s up?”
My heart leaped into my throat. I hated this. I hated that he was such a great guy.
“You’re amazing,” I said, unable to keep the tears from my eyes and the emotion from clogging my throat.
His face fell.
“But…?”
My chest heaved. I didn’t want this to break him like Jace broke me. “But I can’t marry you.” I pulled the small ring from my pocket and handed it to him.
He froze, not taking it.
“Why? I thought we had an agreement. For the future of Amersea.”
If anyone deserved the truth, it was Alek.
“We did. But I have selfishly decided to follow my heart and put my wants before that of my country.”
He looked down at me. “Kohen?”
I nodded.
He yanked the ring from my fingers. “Aisling, he killed your father. He killedyou. Have you lost your mind?”
I sighed. “Listen, this is beyond classified, but I feel you deserve the truth. If you were to tell anyone, my life could be in danger.”
He appeared concerned, then and nodded. “I’d never do anything to put you in danger, Aisling.”
He was so sweet. I hoped he found someone good to erase all the damage I was no doubt doing right now. “I have evidence that my father was the one who caused the Great Blackout. He pinned it on Ravi Badshah on purpose to take over their land.”
Alek gasped. “Holy crap.”
I nodded. “Kohen was protecting me. My father was behind the attacks on me at boot camp.” I knew that now. Even without the evidence, it was there all along.
“I don’t even know what to say,” he said.
“Say you’re happy for me, that you’ll support me, and we’ll stay friends.”
He smiled sadly then, slipping the ring into his pocket. “If you’re happy, I’m happy, Aisling.”
His comment broke my heart just a little bit more, and I pulled him in for a tight hug. “One day, you’ll find a woman who deserves you.”
