Page 70 of War Queen
“Except when you tried to kill Phillip on the sparring field.”
He threw out his hands. “That was one time.”
“Where’s Calla?”
“I don’t need to be watched.”
She pursed her lips. “Stay here.”
Norah walked quickly from her chamber, with Titus close behind, through the side hall and then down the curved stair. When she reached the bottom, she hurried down the main hall and through to the front.
Phillip walked in from the outside just as she reached the door. He smiled when he saw her, and everything seemed… perfectly normal. “Queen Norah,” he greeted her. “Good morning.”
“King Phillip,” she greeted him back, trying to hide her breathlessness. “Is everything all right?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?”
She gave a small shrug. “It’s just… a little unusual for your new wife to depart the morning after her wedding, before even the guests.”
The corner of his mouth twitched as he stood in silence for a moment. He paused, before saying, “I gave her the same choice I gave you.”
Unhelpful. “And what choice would that be?”
His eyes narrowed. He glanced at Titus and then back to her. “Will you walk with me? Privately?”
She looked back at Titus, then nodded and waved him to stay. Phillip offered his arm. She hesitated, then took it and let him lead her outside and into the gardens. They watched the tail end of Daiyona’s army leaving until the red-and-yellow banners disappeared through the gates.
“We had a plan, Norah.” He stopped when they reached a fountain in the center of the scrolling topiary and turned to her. “Why do you act as though it meant nothing? Did your love mean nothing?”
She stood speechless for a moment. “Ummm… I don’t know what you think you and I had, but—”
“We had an arrangement,” he said, cutting her off. There was a sharpness in his voice now.
“Things change.”
“Did your love change?” he asked.
Oh gods. “Phillip, I don’t love you. I don’t think I ever did.”
His brow dipped as he took a step back. “Me? Of course you didn’t.”
Oh gods, oh gods… She didn’t know what to say.
“Wait…” He raised a brow. “Did you think I’d fallen in love with you?”
Soren was going to enjoy hearing how this conversation went. Immensely. She swallowed and cursed in her mind again. “Ummm… I think I may have read this entire situation wrong.”
His mouth moved to form words, but nothing came out.
There was no way to redirect the conversation. Norah sighed, taking his hand and pulling him toward a bench. “Come, sit down with me.” She let him go and wiped her face with her hands as she drew in a deep breath. Where to begin?
First, sit. She sat. And he sat beside her.
“Phillip, this is going to sound a bit incredulous and strange, but I have to tell you something.”
He only waited for her to speak.
“The reason I was missing for three years was because my father took me away to keep me safe from the Shadow King.”
