Chapter 101: I Missed You

Chapter 101: Chapter 101: I Missed You

The study door closed behind them.

For the first time all afternoon, neither Duke Valmort nor difficult questions stood between them.

Silence settled over the corridor.

Neither spoke.

Neither seemed particularly capable of it.

Because after a week of flowers.

A week of letters.

A week of waiting.

They were finally standing beside one another again.

For a moment Marian simply looked at him.

Actually looked at him.

And suddenly something inside her chest burst.

Relief.

Happiness.

Affection.

A week’s worth of missing him.

A week’s worth of worrying.

A week’s worth of wanting to see him.

The emotions arrived all at once.

Too quickly.

Too strongly.

Far too strongly for dignity to survive.

Marian did not think.

Which was unfortunate.

Because thinking might have prevented what happened next.

Instead—

She moved.

Crossing the distance between them before common sense could intervene.

And wrapped her arms around him.

Silence.

Complete silence.

For one brief moment Cassian simply stood there.

Surprised.

Not because he disliked it.

Quite the opposite.

Because he hadn’t expected it.

Marian buried her face against his shoulder.

Entirely unconcerned with propriety.

Or decorum.

Or the fact that she had just thrown herself at him in the middle of her father’s residence.

A matter she would undoubtedly remember later.

And regret.

Extensively.

For now—

She couldn’t find it in herself to care.

Because he was here.

Finally.

The realization settled somewhere deep inside her chest.

Warm.

Steady.

Real.

The week suddenly felt much longer than it actually had been.

As though every day without seeing him had stretched twice as long.

Cassian slowly wrapped his arms around her.

Naturally.

As though there was nowhere else they belonged.

And for a few moments neither spoke.

Neither seemed particularly inclined to.

Because words suddenly felt unnecessary.

The world continued turning.

Servants continued working.

The manor continued existing.

Neither cared very much.

Then reality returned.

As reality always did.

Marian became aware of several things simultaneously.

First—

She was hugging Cassian.

Second—

She was still hugging Cassian.

Third—

She was hugging Cassian in Duke Valmort’s residence.

The realization struck with all the subtlety of a charging cavalry unit.

Marian froze.

Immediately.

Then very slowly pulled away.

Her cheeks turned pink.

Then red.

Then somehow managed to become even redder.

A remarkable achievement.

Cassian looked entirely too pleased.

A deeply concerning development.

Marian wanted the floor to open and swallow her whole.

Immediately.

Preferably.

Unfortunately the floor remained stubbornly loyal to its profession.

For several seconds neither spoke.

Then Marian lifted her chin.

Because if she was going to die of embarrassment, she would do so bravely.

"I missed you."

The confession escaped before she could stop it.

Simple.

Honest.

Entirely true.

Cassian looked at her.

And smiled.

A real smile.

Rare.

Dangerous.

Entirely unfair.

Something inside Marian promptly forgot how to function.

"So did I."

And suddenly the embarrassment seemed entirely worth it.

For a moment neither moved.

Neither looked away.

Neither seemed particularly interested in remembering that they were standing in the middle of a corridor.

Then Marian laughed.

Softly.

Almost helplessly.

The sound escaped before she could stop it.

Because she was happy.

Ridiculously happy.

The kind of happy that made absolutely no sense considering the circumstances.

Her father was worried.

The future was uncertain.

Adrian remained Adrian.

The Emperor still existed.

Everything was complicated.

And yet—

Cassian was here.

Standing in front of her.

Smiling at her.

And somehow that felt more important than all of those things.

A dangerous realization.

One she had no intention of correcting.

"You took a long time."

The complaint escaped automatically.

Cassian’s smile deepened slightly.

"Your father is thorough."

Marian groaned.

"He really is."

A fair observation.

One neither felt inclined to dispute.

They began walking.

Slowly.

Without destination.

Without urgency.

Simply because standing still seemed slightly suspicious.

The corridor stretched ahead.

Quiet.

Peaceful.

For several moments neither spoke.

And strangely—

Neither seemed to mind.

Because after spending a week communicating through flowers and notes, simply being beside one another felt unexpectedly precious.

Marian’s hand brushed his.

Once.

Twice.

Then her fingers slipped between his.

Deliberately.

Certainly.

Without hesitation.

Cassian glanced down.

Marian immediately pretended not to notice.

A catastrophic failure.

His hand closed around hers.

Warm.

Steady.

Familiar.

The simple gesture made her smile.

Again.

A dangerous trend.

Then she glanced at him.

The smile lingering on her lips.

"How did it go?"

The question arrived quietly.

Not because she feared the answer.

Because she genuinely wanted to know.

Cassian considered it.

Thoughtfully.

Then:

"Less terrible than expected."

Marian brightened immediately.

Promising.

Then:

"More dangerous than expected."

Marian sighed.

Immediately.

There it was.

The part she had expected.

The part she had been waiting for.

"I knew it."

Cassian looked amused.

"You probably did."

"I definitely did."

A pause.

Then:

"Did Father threaten you?"

Cassian looked thoughtful.

"No."

Marian blinked.

"No?"

"No."

"That’s disappointing."

Cassian laughed.

Actually laughed.

The sound startled both of them.

Mostly Marian.

Because she realized she liked hearing it far more than she should.

A dangerous discovery.

One among many lately.

The conversation softened again.

Comfortable.

Easy.

Until Marian’s gaze narrowed suspiciously.

Cassian recognized the expression immediately.

Usually moments before trouble arrived.

Unfortunately.

His instincts proved correct.

"What are you hiding?"

Silence.

Cassian remained calm.

A mistake.

Because calmness only increased Marian’s suspicions.

"What are you hiding?"

She repeated.

Slowly.

Dangerously.

Cassian considered several responses.

Most of them unhelpful.

Eventually he reached into his coat.

And withdrew a folded piece of paper.

Marian froze.

Immediately.

The note.

Her note.

The note.

The disastrous note.

The one she had spent an entire afternoon being embarrassed about.

And secretly cherishing.

A deeply confusing combination.

Cassian held it without shame.

Without apology.

Without survival instincts.

Marian stared.

"You brought it?"

The question escaped before she could stop it.

Cassian looked genuinely surprised.

"Of course."

The answer arrived instantly.

As though no other possibility existed.

Which somehow made everything worse.

"You carried it into Father’s study?"

"Yes."

Marian closed her eyes.

Briefly.

The humiliation was complete.

Absolutely complete.

Cassian appeared entirely unrepentant.

A deeply worrying personality trait.

One she happened to adore.

Unfortunately.

When she opened her eyes again, the note had disappeared safely back into his pocket.

Carefully.

Almost protectively.

The realization struck unexpectedly.

And suddenly the embarrassment softened.

Replaced by something warm.

Something dangerous.

Something she was becoming increasingly familiar with.

Love.

Cassian noticed the change in her expression.

Said nothing.

Because some things required no explanation.

They continued walking.

Side by side.

Hand in hand.

The silence returned.

Gentler now.

Then Cassian spoke.

"Your father told me about his meeting with Adrian."

The warmth of the afternoon dimmed slightly.

Not disappearing.

Just shifting.

Marian’s steps slowed.

Only slightly.

Cassian noticed.

Continued anyway.

"He said he expected a man in love."

Silence.

Then:

"He found the future Emperor."

The words settled quietly between them.

Heavy.

Meaningful.

Marian lowered her gaze.

Thoughtful.

Because she understood exactly what that meant.

Perhaps better than anyone.

The realization lingered.

Uncomfortable.

Real.

After a moment she nodded.

Once.

Slowly.

"I see."

And somehow those two words carried far more meaning than an entire conversation.

Cassian didn’t elaborate.

Didn’t interpret.

Didn’t push.

There was no need.

Marian already understood.

For several moments they continued walking.

The future stretched ahead of them.

Complicated.

Uncertain.

Dangerous.

Yet somehow less frightening than before.

Because they were no longer facing it alone.

Marian tightened her hold on his hand.

A small gesture.

An unconscious one.

Yet Cassian noticed immediately.

As he always seemed to.

"Are you worried?"

The question escaped softly.

Cassian considered it.

Honestly.

There were many things worth worrying about.

The Emperor.

Adrian.

The future.

The consequences.

The cost.

All of it.

At length he looked at her.

Really looked at her.

And answered.

"About many things."

A pause.

Then:

"Not about you."

The words settled between them.

Simple.

Certain.

True.

For a moment Marian could only stare.

Then slowly—

She smiled.

And somehow the future didn’t seem quite so frightening.

Not because the obstacles had disappeared.

Not because the danger was gone.

But because they would face it together.

Hand in hand.

One step at a time.