her lap and her eyes on his pinched, white face.
Muscles jumped along his jawline. He took a deep breath and looked her full in the eyes. She began to tremble. This, she thought, would be the most important question he had ever asked in his entire life.
“Sullyan, do you love me?”
Her indrawn breath was almost a sob. She stood and approached him. Placing her hand on his arm, preparing to bare her soul more deeply than she had ever done before, she said, “How could you doubt me, Robin? Yes, I love you. With all my heart and soul.”
She meant for him to sense the depth of her feelings. This was no time to hold back. Touching the edges of his psyche with her powers, she heard the breath catch in his throat. As he stared deeply into her eyes, captured by what she revealed, she knew he finally understood how deeply she had always loved him. How hard it had been for her to maintain her professional position and carry out her duties while containing such powerful emotions. Now he understood why she had contained them.
Contrition flooded his heart, and she sensed his regret for all the hurt he had given her, the trouble he had caused her, the adolescent way he had sometimes behaved while trying to impress her. She forgave him, and felt his heart lift. He was, he suddenly realized, the only one who could help her now. No one else was in a position to do so.
Despite this new knowledge, Robin had one last question. He gripped her hands tightly while pent-up breath sighed out of his lungs.
“Sullyan, are you absolutely sure there’s no way out of this? No one who might know of a solution, a cure?”
She dropped her gaze, unwilling to show him her pain. Looking past him into the morning sky, she said, “I wonder if you know, really know, what my life means to me? The work I do, the Manor, the position I hold? They have been everything I have ever wanted. They feel right ... necessary. I belong there. It is what I was born for.
“I have been in many battles, as you know. Often, I have been in peril of my life. On two occasions, only the skill and care of those who loved me saved me from death. You know me, Robin. You know I am not fey. I do not seek death, in battle or otherwise. So I tell you now, and hear me well. If there was any way in all the Five Realms to avert what is to happen, I would take it gladly.”
She turned her full gaze on him. The tears welling once more in his dark blue eyes told her that he had accepted what was to come.
She feared he might take her in his arms, and she knew she could not cope with that right now. Her small store of strength was fading. She sincerely hoped Rienne had told the others, she could not bear to go through it all again. Bulldog had guessed, she was fairly sure, she had seen it in the big man’s eyes. She would need his solid, dependable strength very soon, she thought, as would Robin in the weeks to come.
“What will you do now?”
His question was a welcome distraction. Robin was trying to be practical and that was good. It was something she could deal with.
“Under normal circumstances, I would say we had no business interfering in the political struggles of another realm. But I am in a unique position to know exactly what Rykan intends, and I know that if he gains the Andaryan throne, Albia will also be in jeopardy. Rykan will not honor the Pact. So, I will go to Caer Vellet, Robin, to the Hierarch’s Citadel, and I will offer my sword and services in defense of his crown for as long as my strength lasts. I have valuable information concerning Rykan’s battle plans, and I am probably the only person in a position to thwart him. Especially as he does not have the extra power he planned on.”
She smiled, but the Captain looked troubled.
“I have to try, Robin. I have nothing to lose. I also owe a debt to Marik, and if I can persuade the Hierarch to accept him, not only will I rob Rykan of some of his forces, but maybe I can restore Marik’s pride and manor
Muscles jumped along his jawline. He took a deep breath and looked her full in the eyes. She began to tremble. This, she thought, would be the most important question he had ever asked in his entire life.
“Sullyan, do you love me?”
Her indrawn breath was almost a sob. She stood and approached him. Placing her hand on his arm, preparing to bare her soul more deeply than she had ever done before, she said, “How could you doubt me, Robin? Yes, I love you. With all my heart and soul.”
She meant for him to sense the depth of her feelings. This was no time to hold back. Touching the edges of his psyche with her powers, she heard the breath catch in his throat. As he stared deeply into her eyes, captured by what she revealed, she knew he finally understood how deeply she had always loved him. How hard it had been for her to maintain her professional position and carry out her duties while containing such powerful emotions. Now he understood why she had contained them.
Contrition flooded his heart, and she sensed his regret for all the hurt he had given her, the trouble he had caused her, the adolescent way he had sometimes behaved while trying to impress her. She forgave him, and felt his heart lift. He was, he suddenly realized, the only one who could help her now. No one else was in a position to do so.
Despite this new knowledge, Robin had one last question. He gripped her hands tightly while pent-up breath sighed out of his lungs.
“Sullyan, are you absolutely sure there’s no way out of this? No one who might know of a solution, a cure?”
She dropped her gaze, unwilling to show him her pain. Looking past him into the morning sky, she said, “I wonder if you know, really know, what my life means to me? The work I do, the Manor, the position I hold? They have been everything I have ever wanted. They feel right ... necessary. I belong there. It is what I was born for.
“I have been in many battles, as you know. Often, I have been in peril of my life. On two occasions, only the skill and care of those who loved me saved me from death. You know me, Robin. You know I am not fey. I do not seek death, in battle or otherwise. So I tell you now, and hear me well. If there was any way in all the Five Realms to avert what is to happen, I would take it gladly.”
She turned her full gaze on him. The tears welling once more in his dark blue eyes told her that he had accepted what was to come.
She feared he might take her in his arms, and she knew she could not cope with that right now. Her small store of strength was fading. She sincerely hoped Rienne had told the others, she could not bear to go through it all again. Bulldog had guessed, she was fairly sure, she had seen it in the big man’s eyes. She would need his solid, dependable strength very soon, she thought, as would Robin in the weeks to come.
“What will you do now?”
His question was a welcome distraction. Robin was trying to be practical and that was good. It was something she could deal with.
“Under normal circumstances, I would say we had no business interfering in the political struggles of another realm. But I am in a unique position to know exactly what Rykan intends, and I know that if he gains the Andaryan throne, Albia will also be in jeopardy. Rykan will not honor the Pact. So, I will go to Caer Vellet, Robin, to the Hierarch’s Citadel, and I will offer my sword and services in defense of his crown for as long as my strength lasts. I have valuable information concerning Rykan’s battle plans, and I am probably the only person in a position to thwart him. Especially as he does not have the extra power he planned on.”
She smiled, but the Captain looked troubled.
“I have to try, Robin. I have nothing to lose. I also owe a debt to Marik, and if I can persuade the Hierarch to accept him, not only will I rob Rykan of some of his forces, but maybe I can restore Marik’s pride and manor
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