The Reign of Trees by Lori Folkman

if that held her interest, but she was really trying to hide her smile of satisfaction.
    “Pray tell me, what are you at then?” Henrick stepped closer and turned so his back rested against the wall. There was no escaping his vision now.
    “I am forlorn. Hopelessly, miserably forlorn.”
    “You are not here under normal circumstances. This is hardly the time for entertaining.”
    “You do realize that if we were under ‘normal circumstances,’ I would not be here at all?”
    His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. His face looked subdued. “But of course. I’m certain it would be a cold day in hell before Her Royal Highness, Princess Illianah, descended from on high to visit Deltegra.”
    At first, his words ignited a hatred within her chest, but then the more she studied his solemn eyes, she felt shame at her own haughtiness. “There was a time, Prince Henrick, when a visit to your castle would have been desired.”
    He nodded, ever so slightly, yet her words did not appear to bring him any comfort. In fact, it looked as if it brought him even greater pain.
    Against her wishes, her throat tightened and her eyes filled with tears. She would not let him know that thoughts of what once may have been brought her such sadness. She knew she must hide these thoughts from him, but realizing that brought her even more pain. All her emotions had to be stifled while at the castle of Andoradda. She had no one to confide in. No one here cared one whit about her. “I miss my home,” she whispered. “I am … so lonely.”
    His face softened. “Yes, I should have given that greater consideration. You have been rather isolated here. I hope you will find comfort in writing to your family.”
    “Some,” she said. Really, it brought her no satisfaction filling those parchments with empty words, but she hoped her heart would lift once she heard back from Burchess.
    “I can only imagine the pain it brings you to be separated from your husband.”
    Illianah hoped that the happiness she felt in her heart at that moment was not reflected on her face. No, being separated from Leif brought her no pain. In fact, every morning as she woke to an empty bed, she felt elated she had escaped the drudgery of loving Leif. She debated on what to say next, and then decided her words were better left unsaid. She could not speak ill of Leif to anyone, let alone to her captor and her husband’s rival. Words finally came that would neither paint her as unfeeling nor give Henrick room in her heart. “I would be more concerned about the pain you have caused him . I do worry about the retribution that will befall you.”
    Henrick smiled dismally and said, “As do I.”
    He turned and put his forearms on the top of the wall, keeping his eyes on the forest.
    Illianah broke a long, awkward silence by saying, “The beauty of Deltegra amazes me.” Henrick did not acknowledge her. “I do wonder why the castle was not built to face this direction though; it is a much better view.” The view from her window offered her only the courtyard and a vast green field with a few clusters of aspen.
    “Again, you prove your ignorance as a spy,” he said. At first, she was offended by his comment, but she saw the wry smile upon his lips and she realized he was teasing her. “It is strategic, Illianah. The castle faces east, toward …”
    “Burchess,” she interrupted as the castle’s placement dawned on her.
    “Right. Enemies then, when King Polard built the castle. And enemies still.”
    “So the castle is always watching for attack from your eastern border.”
    “Precisely. A wide meadow gives no allowance for cover if soldiers were to approach from the east.”
    “But from the south and west, you are rather vulnerable, are you not?” The forest began just a stone’s throw away from the rear of the castle. Thousands of soldiers could find cover there.
    “So it may seem. However, within the forest lies the River of Dungess . It is three times