MIREA
The words struck me with a force I wasn’t prepared for, and I stared at him, my cheeks heating.
“Why?” I managed, but my voice sounded weak even to my own ears. “Because you pitied me?”
“No, Your Highness,” Arkin said, and there was a softness in his eyes that made me want to look away. Instead, I forced myself to hold his gaze, trying to ignore the way my heart fluttered when it had no right to.
“I want to answer you honestly,” he said quietly, “but if I did... I’d be betraying the Crown Prince.”
He stood perfectly still, the moonlight sharpening the lines of his face. I waited, wondering whether he’d say more or if I’d have to pull the truth out of him myself.
“You already did,” I said softly. “The moment you desired me.”
His eyes widened. Even in the darkness, I could make
