I Refuse to be a Named Character

Part 3

Luke and I walked away from the group, a heavy silence hanging between us. He snuck glances frequently in my direction, a nervous light in his eyes that I had never seen before. His hands twisted together in front of him, his knuckles white from the pressure. The sight caused a flicker of regret in my heart, a desire to say something to comfort him, but I stayed silent.

The issue hanging over us was too large to simply ignore.

Finally, far enough away from Graham and his followers to not be overheard, we stopped. As my gaze met his own, Luke took a deep breath, apologizing in a rush:

"I'm so sorry that I didn't tell you who I was before!"

"..." I stared at him, wanting to sigh, a twisted smile on my face.

"Is that why you think I'm upset? Because you didn't tell me you were a prince?"

Uncertainty crept into his expression. "It's not?"

"No." I shook my head. "With all that we shared, we both held some secrets back. Those were yours to keep. I didn't ask, and you didn't lie to me."

I had known deep down that he couldn't be as simple as he seemed, but a part of me had hoped that he was. That he could be a regular person, untouched by the terrible plot of this world, someone who could run away with me to the forest and ignore the whole mess.

But like he had said before we parted, Fate isn't very kind sometimes.

"I'm not mad that you're a prince. I'm mad because of this." I held up my wrist, the dark beads encircling it reflecting in the bright desert sun.

His eyes focused on the bracelet, and he stiffened.

"Your mother's token?" I asked quietly. "A necessary item for you to take the throne? A sign of engagement?"

Hadn't Graham called me Lucien's fiancé? He had obviously recognized the bracelet back in my cabin. No wonder he had been so adamant about becoming close with me. He was trying to bring his brother's fiancé over to his side.

"..." A helpless expression traced over Luke's features, the sadness and loneliness I saw there threatening to break my heart.

I steeled myself, forcing my tone to be harsh. "When were you going to tell me we were engaged? After the wedding?"

He laughed, but it was a desolate, hopeless sound. "Would you believe me if I told you it was the only thing I had, and I was simply afraid that you would forget me?"

"I might." I studied him quietly for a moment.

"I always planned to come back to see you before the third task." He stared down at his shaking hands as he spoke. "I was going to tell you everything then: who I was, what the bracelet meant... and then ask if you still wanted it." He sighed. "I thought you would be far enough away in the forest, that no one would see you before I found you again... I never thought that Graham..." Luke trailed off, shaking his head slowly. "I'm sorry."

I wanted to believe him. After all, he was very special to me. I was not someone who opened up to others easily. Chloe had been my only friend before we transported here. I had no experience with romance or love.

Luke... someone who spent every day by my side, sharing meals, opening up about our hopes and dreams... how could I not fall for him? I had recognized the feeling after he helped me to escape. I thought out of everyone I had ever known, he was the first to truly understand me. To care about me.

But now I couldn't help but doubt everything.

"Luke, can you look me in the eye and tell me honestly that you gave me that bracelet with no other intentions than that? To help me remember you?"