It was true. In earlier years, I had prepared elaborate feasts, gathered delicacies, arranged flowers, and lit candles to honor our bond. I sought only to see joy in his eyes. Yet those efforts were later dismissed as unnecessary, even shameful. I still recalled the night I organized a surprise gathering in the banquet hall. He had whispered sharply, “Liora, you draw too much attention. The family is watching. This is… uncomfortable.”
He had guided me away from the elders and guests, and in that moment, something inside me dimmed.
“Come,” he said now, leading me toward his horse. “Let us share a meal to mark the night.”
As we rode, silence stretched between us like a barren field. His gaze drifted toward me, searching for traces of the woman I used to be.
“Are you troubled?” he finally asked.
“No,” I replied.
“No?” His brow tightened. “Then why do you seem distant? I came to honor our bond. Should that not be enough?”
“I harbor no anger,” I said.
He exhaled sharply. “Very well. I swear on the family name, I will sever all ties with Selara. Is that what you want?”
I met his gaze without expression. Did he believe promises spoken in haste could undo months of secrets and half-truths?