Page 107 of Shadow Queen
“Let’s go to Mercia,” she whispered.
His eyes opened. “This is what you think of right now?”
She drew his face back up for his eyes to meet hers. “Let’s go to Mercia, Mikael. You’re not who they think you are. They need to know you. Once they do, they’ll love you like I do. I know they will.”
The quiet answered for him.
“Please?” she asked.
His face creased with sadness. “I can’t.”
Norah blinked back emotion. “Will I never see my home again?”
Mikael pushed himself up and lay over her again, bringing his hand to her face. “Go,” he said softly.
Norah’s eyes widened. “What?”
“Go. See your grandmother. See your people. Then come back to me.”
She let out a shaky breath, not sure if she was understanding. He was trusting her to do this? “Go to Mercia?”
He nodded. “I only ask that you take the lord commander, and that you leave your justice there.”
She drew in a shocked breath, nodding.
He dropped his head down closer. “Now, as I said, I want you again.” And he covered her mouth with his.
Adrian paid no attention to the morning cold seeping through his clothes as he sat on the stone wall of the courtyard. He was too focused on carefully crimping the small metal cuffs to the woven leather necklace in his hands. He smiled as he worked, seeing it come along better than he had imagined. It was soft and delicate, like Sevina.
“What are you working on?” a voice called.
He jerked his head up in surprise. “Queen Norah!” He curled the necklace in his hand and stashed it down, giving a small shake of his head. “It’s nothing.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Let me see.”
Slowly, he pulled up his hand and opened his fingers, sheepishly showing her the necklace.
She let out a small breath as she picked it up. “Adrian, this is beautiful!” She inspected it closely. “How did you get the leather to sparkle like this?”
Her admiration brought a smile to his lips. “I crushed peoly shells and made a mix, soaked the strips in it.”
She handed it back to him. “Is it for someone special? Perhaps a beautiful girl with large brown eyes?”
Adrian shrugged bashfully. Of course Norah had picked up on things, having seen him with Sevina a couple times now. “Uh,” he started as he stared down at the necklace.
“She’ll love it.” Norah smiled, saving him from words.
Adrian had been wavering all morning on whether to give it to Sevina, wondering if she’d even like it or if she’d find it silly. But Norah’s reaction fueled his confidence, and his excitement grew.
“Where’s your brother?” she asked.
“In the sparring field, last I saw.”
She nodded, but paused, lingering a moment. “I’m going back to Mercia, Adrian.”
A grin spread across his face. “That’s great news! Your grandmother will be so happy to see you.” But then he felt a weight in his stomach as he looked down at the necklace in his hands. If Norah was going back to Mercia, that would mean he would be too. “When?” he asked.
“A few days, maybe?”
