feet.” She pointed her naked toes toward him. “The rocks—”
Without another word he scooped her into his arms, cradling her like an infant in her evening gown, and clambered up the path, carrying her as though she didn’t weigh a thing.
She tried not to think too much about how being in his arms made her feel, but there was that warmth she’d felt a moment ago. Kirk was so strong and capable—one of the strongest members of the royal guard, with a promising future ahead of him before he’d tarnished his reputation with a murder trial.
Still, he was winsome and charismatic. It would be all too easy to trust him. And after everything that had happened, she knew she was emotionally vulnerable. Surely the sudden yearning she felt to place her head on his shoulder had nothing to do with any real feelings between them. It was merely a result of the monumentally trying events of the evening.
Kirk traveled easily up the path, and moments later a limestone tower loomed ahead, cast in a golden glow by the light of the sinking sun. Without hesitating, Kirk swept her over the threshold, through an arched doorway into a wide stone room.
THREE
The last of the sunlight blocked by four walls and a ceiling, Stasi blinked against the darkness and tightened her grip on Kirk’s shoulders. “Where are we?”
“Through here is the queen’s chamber. Thad and I found it all on the map. There are stairs up to the tower—it’s got a glorious view all the way to Sardis. But right now I’m taking you to where Thaddeus stayed.”
At the mention of her brother’s name, Stasi was reminded of all the unanswered questions regarding his disappearance. “When did Thad stay here?”
“Six years ago.” Kirk carried her into a smaller room and stopped.
“Before he—?” She let the question linger, unsure how to phrase what had happened.
Kirk settled her onto a stone bench before turning his back to her. “Before he left, yes. He was actually situated here until shortly before the trial. At that point we decided it would be best if he stayed far enough away that, no matter what they did to me, he wouldn’t be tempted to return.” Kirk fumbled with something in the darkness, and a moment later Stasi saw the light of a small flame in his hands.
When he turned back toward her, his face was lit by the warm glow of a candle. “This room isn’t visible from the sea, so you’re safe to use a light in here. But we don’t want anyone to see the light and come investigate, so don’t take any flame with you if you decide to explore further.”
Stasi had little interest in exploring the spooky ruins, but she was eager to hear more about her brother. “Why was it so important that he not return?”
To her surprise, Kirk brought the candle over to the stone bench and sat down beside her. The glow of that tiny fire enveloped them in a small circle of light, and Stasi had to fight the urge to lean closer to him. She watched his face carefully as he spoke.
“Your brother doesn’t want to be found. He and your parents had a disagreement.”
Stasi tried to accept what Kirk told her, but it didn’t make any sense. “I disagree with my parents all the time. I don’t hide from everyone I love because of it.”
Kirk leaned back against the stone wall behind them and closed his eyes. In the flickering light of the candle his face looked older than his almost-thirty years, and weary. “It’s his story to tell. I can’t share it with you any more than I could have told anyone else.”
She placed a tentative hand on his arm. “But everyone thinks you killed him. If he’s not dead, why doesn’t he show his face to prove them all wrong?” She couldn’t stand that Kirk had been willing to let her believe he was a murderer all this time if he really wasn’t.
With a sigh, Kirk opened his eyes and looked at her directly. “If your father knew where your brother was, he’d do everything in his power to bring him back. Thad couldn’t risk that. I’ve told everyone as much of the truth as he wanted me to tell. The rest I promised to keep secret. From everyone, including you.”
Stasi struggled to absorb the news. Granted, Thaddeus was the oldest and she the youngest child in their family, so in spite of being close to her siblings, there had always been that seven-year distance between them. She’d been only seventeen when he’d disappeared, and she’d taken the news very hard—not only the loss of her brother, but the loss of Kirk as a dear family friend.
She wanted very much to believe Thad was still alive, and that Kirk hadn’t ever done anything to hurt him. But she had to steel herself against one inescapable reality: Kirk was keeping secrets from her. However well intentioned those secrets might be, the simple fact was he hadn’t told her the whole truth. Beyond his obscure reassurances, she knew nothing of what had become of her brother. Until the gaps in his story were filled, she didn’t dare trust Kirk. Not completely.
Hoping to push Kirk to reveal her brother’s whereabouts, she met his eyes. “If the rest of my family was killed in today’s ambush, Thaddeus may be the only living relative I have left.”
Kirk bowed his head over the candle. When he looked her in the face again, she was surprised to see wetness twinkling in his eyes. His voice was rough when he spoke. “If I learn that the rest of your family has been killed, I will take you to him.”
She felt a spiral of fear swirl through her stomach. If Kirk had killed her brother, then his words indicated he would kill her, too. But everything about him, from the pain on his face to the way he’d protected her that day, indicated he had only the purest of intentions. Her heart rammed inside her chest, still reeling from the many shocks of the evening, wavering furiously between believing one reality or the other.
Kirk stood. “Thaddeus had a sleeping bag here, as well as some stores of food.”
“Food that was left here six years ago?” Stasi rose to stand beside him.
“Canned food stays good for a long time. You should be able to find something edible. There are wild strawberries on the north side of the island, and excellent fishing in the inlet. Your brother’s fishing pole was in the box where I found this candle. And there’s a freshwater well in the courtyard.”
The way he spoke made it sound as though she’d be on her own to fend for herself—possibly for some time. “Where are you going to be?”
“I’m going back to the mainland.”
“You’re going to leave me?” She didn’t want to be abandoned on the treacherous island.
“We’ve got to learn what happened to your family. I can’t do that from here.”
“But isn’t it dangerous? Surely people saw you leave the palace with me. If they’re looking for me, they’ll come after you.”
The grin Kirk returned her was unsettlingly confident. “If I’m the only one who knows where you are, then I’ll be the safest man in Sardis. Anyone who’s looking for you won’t dare kill me. That would sever their last link to you.”
The meaning of his words sank in. “Is that why my parents declared you untouchable? They believe you know where Thad is?”
