Chapter 67: Questions

Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Questions

Cassian slept badly.

This was deeply irritating.

Not because he normally slept particularly well.

Because he did not.

But because he knew exactly why.

Which somehow made it worse.

Morning sunlight filtered through the curtains of his room.

The hunting lodge had already begun to stir.

Servants moved through hallways.

Guests prepared for the day’s activities.

Cassian stared at the ceiling.

And thought about Marian.

Again.

The realization was becoming repetitive.

And alarmingly consistent.

With a sigh, he sat up.

This was ridiculous.

He was a duke.

A grown man.

A reasonably intelligent one.

Or so he had been told.

Yet somehow he had spent half the night replaying a dinner conversation that barely existed.

A glance.

A smile.

An awkward silence.

The sort of things that should not have occupied anyone’s thoughts.

Unfortunately, they occupied his.

Cassian swung his legs over the edge of the bed.

And finally asked himself the question he had spent weeks avoiding.

What exactly are you doing?

The answer came immediately.

Too immediately.

That was the problem.

Because if the answer required thought, he could still pretend.

If the answer required deliberation, he could still argue.

Instead, certainty arrived before reason.

He liked her.

Not surprising.

Not new.

The more uncomfortable realization arrived second.

If Marian suddenly became free tomorrow—

if the engagement disappeared—

if Adrian stepped aside—

Cassian would not.

The answer struck with alarming clarity.

Not hesitation.

Not uncertainty.

Not confusion.

Certainty.

The kind of certainty that frightened sensible people.

Because certainty implied intent.

And intent implied consequences.

Cassian closed his eyes.

"That is unfortunate."

The statement echoed through the empty room.

Unfortunately, it remained true.

--

The morning gathering took place on the eastern lawn.

Nobles gathered beneath white canopies.

Breakfast was served outdoors.

Horses waited nearby for those participating in the afternoon hunt.

The atmosphere was relaxed.

Social.

Dangerous.

Because relaxed noble gatherings created opportunities for conversation.

Conversation created opportunities for gossip.

And gossip created opportunities for disaster.

Cassian arrived late.

Entirely on purpose.

His strategy was simple.

Avoid Marian.

An excellent plan.

A sensible plan.

A plan that lasted approximately twelve seconds.

Because the moment he stepped onto the lawn, he saw her.

Standing beside several noblewomen.

Laughing at something one of them had said.

Sunlight caught the dark blue ribbons woven through her hair.

The effect was unfair.

Completely unfair.

Cassian immediately looked elsewhere.

Then looked back.

Because apparently his self-control had resigned overnight.

Marian looked up.

Their eyes met.

And something warm settled inside his chest.

The reaction was immediate.

Effortless.

Dangerous.

--

Across the lawn, Marian looked away first.

Which somehow did not help.

Not even slightly.

Marian had slept badly.

This was Cassian’s fault.

Entirely.

She had no evidence for this accusation.

That did not make it less true.

The morning sunlight felt offensive.

The breakfast gathering felt unnecessary.

The entire hunting lodge felt determined to prevent her from thinking clearly.

Which was unfortunate.

Because she had spent most of the night trying to think clearly.

Without success.

Then Cassian arrived.

And every coherent thought immediately abandoned her.

Marian watched him approach the gathering.

Tall.

Elegant.

Effortlessly handsome.

The most handsome man in the Empire.

A fact she deeply wished would become less true.

It stubbornly refused.

Their eyes met.

And Marian looked away.

Immediately.

Because she was not foolish.

Not completely.

Unfortunately, she remained aware of him afterward.

Everywhere.

Which was perhaps even worse.

The morning progressed.

Breakfast became conversation.

Conversation became politics.

Politics became complaints.

A natural evolution.

Adrian arrived shortly afterward.

The Crown Prince was immediately surrounded.

Military officers.

Nobles.

Officials.

The future ruler of the Empire attracted attention wherever he went.

Marian watched him from across the lawn.

And felt a familiar ache.

Because Adrian looked tired.

Because Adrian had looked disappointed last night.

Because she knew why.

The realization settled heavily inside her chest.

She looked away.

Only to discover Cassian already watching her.

The moment lasted less than a second.

Yet neither missed it.

Neither understood what to do with it.

--

The trouble began an hour later.

Naturally.

Trouble always arrived eventually.

A group of nobles had gathered beneath one of the canopies.

Adrian stood among them.

Marian nearby.

Cassian unfortunately nearby as well.

The conversation remained harmless.

Until it didn’t.

An elderly marquis smiled into his tea.

"Speaking of celebrations..."

Several nobles looked up.

The marquis turned toward Adrian.

"When should we expect a royal wedding, Your Highness?"

Silence.

Not complete silence.

Only enough.

Enough for the question to settle.

Enough for everyone to hear it.

Enough for everyone to think the same thing.

The Crown Prince.

The future Crown Princess.

The wedding.

The future.

The life everyone expected.

Several nobles smiled.

One woman immediately began discussing possible venues.

Another suggested spring.

Someone else suggested autumn.

The conversation exploded.

The way noble conversations often did.

Yet Marian barely heard any of it.

Because for the first time, the future felt real.

Not abstract.

Not inevitable.

Real.

Heavy.

Immediate.

Her gaze moved before she could stop it.

Toward Cassian.

Not accidentally.

Deliberately.

Because suddenly she wanted an answer.

Not spoken.

Impossible to speak.

But something.

Anything.

Cassian looked directly at her.

And immediately understood.

The realization struck with brutal clarity.

She was asking the same question he had spent all night asking himself.

What happens now?

For a moment neither looked away.

The world seemed to narrow.

The conversation around them faded.

The nobles disappeared.

The future remained.

Standing between them.

Then someone laughed.

The moment broke.

Reality returned.

Marian looked away first.

Cassian followed a second later.

Yet neither forgot.

Neither could.

Because the question remained.

And neither possessed an answer.

--

An hour later Marian escaped.

Not intentionally.

At least that was what she told herself.

The gathering had become crowded.

Loud.

Busy.

She needed air.

That was her explanation.

A weak one.

But technically true.

The gardens behind the hunting lodge were quiet.

Sunlight filtered through ancient trees.

A narrow path wound between flower beds and stone benches.

For the first time all morning, Marian found herself alone.

The silence felt welcome.

Necessary.

She exhaled slowly.

And tried not to think.

A strategy that failed immediately.

"Lady Marian."

Her heart skipped.

Once.

Hard.

Because she knew that voice.

Of course she knew that voice.

Slowly she turned.

Cassian stood several steps away.

Not smiling.

Not joking.

Not hiding behind charm or teasing remarks.

Simply looking at her.

And for the first time since the forest, neither of them had anywhere else to be.

No interruptions.

No excuses.

No distractions.

Only silence.

And questions.

For a moment neither spoke.

The morning breeze moved through the trees.

Distant voices drifted from the hunting lodge.

Yet neither seemed to notice.

Because for the first time in weeks, there was nothing left to interrupt them.

Nothing left to distract them.

Nothing left to hide behind.

And somehow that was far more frightening than being lost in a forest.

Cassian looked at her.

Marian looked back.

Neither knew where the conversation would lead.

Only that it had become impossible to avoid.

And this time—

Neither of them walked away.