Dark Prince Rising

Ten

Aelon's heart nearly leaped with joy when Cira emerged from her bedroom. She was wearing a soft tunic and a pair of cotton trousers, and her hair was tied into a loose braid over her shoulder. To anyone else, it would look like she'd just got up and dressed.

"Oh, hello everyone," she said. "Sorry I slept in so late."

Aelon had to fight himself to keep from running across the room and embracing her.

"It's alright," Thirion said. "Aelon told us that you were having nightmares again."

The comment was innocent, but the way Thirion closely studied Cira's reaction made Aelon a bit nervous. Was he onto them?

Cira didn't falter in the slightest. "Yeah," she said, stretching. "I had a pretty rough night."

Aelon was grateful that he'd chosen a lie laced with such a large amount of truth. There was no way she could've pulled it off if she had to lie, too. The general chatter resumed, and Aelon kept all of his joy and relief bottled up inside his chest.

They had a small family get-together to say farewell to the twins and Theo. Cyran couldn't make it, but Kyren's nursemaid brought him down to say goodbye.

After the twins and Thirion set off for home, Aelon beckoned for Cira to follow him into the library. When they rounded the corner of the aisle, she collapsed into his arms. They didn't say anything for a long time. Aelon rested his chin on her head, simply enjoying her familiar warmth. Her body fit so comfortably against his; he knew every angle and curve like the back of his hand.

Nalia will never fit like this.

"How did it go?" he asked when she pulled back. He refused to reprimand her. She knew when she left that it would worry him sick, and she had done it anyways. The guilt would be enough punishment.

Her golden eyes shone, and she smiled wider than he'd seen her smile in a long time. She opened her mouth to respond, but her lips clamped down on the words before she could get them out. The light in her eyes dimmed, and she simply shook her head. "No luck," she whispered. "Again."

She... lied? Why would she lie to him? Aelon tried to catch her gaze, but she avoided looking at him. "Cira," he whispered, cupping her face in his hand. "Please don't lie to me, Cira. Did you find something?"

When her eyes finally met his, he could see that they were brimming with tears. She was biting her lower lip hard, trying to keep from crying. "I don't want to, Aelon. It kills me inside to lie to you. But I just can't tell you what happened."

"Aelon?"

They sprung apart like they had been shocked. Nalia stood at the end of the aisle, her face ashen. Her eyes swept from him to Cira, and back to him again. "Aelon, what are you doing?"

Cira knew how bad it must have appeared. She wiped her eyes and bowed to the Crown Princess, hoping that Aelon's charm would be enough to convince her that they had been doing nothing wrong.

"I know what it must look like," he said, taking a step towards her. "We were just talking, I swear."

Nalia took a step away from him, shaking her head. Cira could see the tears brimming in her dark eyes. "I knew it," she said, voice shaking. "I knew it all along. You two couldn't have just been friends. You're too close for that."

Aelon ran his fingers through his hair, the way he did when he was stressed. "Nalia, please. Trust me! I would never be disloyal to you."

But the princess didn't believe him. She fixed him with one last heartbroken gaze, then turned and fled, her dress swirling behind her.