Chapter 44: Roberta Flack - Killing Me Softly With His Song
She gazed up at him, eyes still wide and dazed but suddenly somber. "What will you do, Damien," she asked softly, "when I choose Kyllian?"
The question fell between them. His entire body stiffened above her, the teasing lines in his face tightening. The warmth in his eyes didn’t fade, but sadness swirled behind them.
"I don’t know," he said at last. "Get an heir to rule after my father, I suppose."
"With your royal concubine?" she asked, trying to sound playful but failing miserably.
"Yes," he replied without missing a beat.
She scoffed, trying to keep her composure. "Pfft. I doubt she can give you strong heirs. She looks like she could snap in two if pulled the wrong way."
Damien’s lips quirked in a half-smile, half-snort. "Is the princess jealous?" he asked, eyebrow raised.
"I’m sorry," she said quickly. "I know I have no right to be."
"It’s okay," Damien said, brushing a strand of Luna’s hair from her face. His voice was steady, but his eyes betrayed the storm raging inside. "You’re still going to make the choice, aren’t you? Even if it’s going to kill you?"
Luna turned her gaze away, suddenly finding the pattern on the rug impossibly fascinating. "I have to," she whispered, as if saying it louder would make it real. "Whether I choose or not, my death seems to be inevitable, so I might as well follow in your footsteps...make an heir for my people."