“Leave me alone!” I turned and started to run, guided by nothing more than my desire to be well away from Julian and his hateful words. The dark outlines of trees and shrubs loomed on every side, some grabbing at my skirts whenever I veered too close. Passing beneath a hanging arbor, I ran farther into the garden, too angry to even look back. More fool Julian if he tries to follow me
When he next spoke, his voice sounded far away. “I’ll be in the carriage when you’ve calmed down. Please don’t do anything rash.”
A large tree stood in my path. Panting for breath, I leaned against the thick trunk to catch my breath. Ballocks! Why had I insisted on being laced so tightly tonight? A few minutes passed before my heart slowed and I could breathe again. My anger had burned itself out, leaving me cold inside for the lack of searing heat.
And then the truth hit me.
Oh, dear God, what have I done?
The answer was terrifying. For the first time in my life, I had used my power to harm another person. Until tonight, I hadn’t known it could even be used for anything other than healing. But there was no denying the blinding rage that had come out of nowhere, hot as fire and all consuming. My only thought, if it could even be considered such, was to be free of Julian. His harsh words were too much and I had to get away. Why couldn’t he see that? Why did he have to insist on restraining me against my will?
I slumped against the tree, overwhelmed by the magnitude of my sins. The power to heal was a sacred gift from Brigid. And that gift had been despoiled the moment I used it against Julian. At the very least, I could expect to be severely censured, perhaps forbidden to heal and barred from entering the Otherworld for a period of time. But even this would be a blessing compared to the other alternative—a full forfeiture of my birthright.
With this last thought, my mind slipped into a state of detached shock, unable to process even the most basic emotions. There were no tears or accusations, no curses for the blistering temper that had finally gotten the best of me. All I wanted was to be back in my room, buried under a mound of blankets. Sleep offered the surest escape from my problems, a remedy so simple, yet entirely unattainable while I was stuck in this blasted garden.
No matter how much I wanted to be home, I lacked the heart to face anyone else tonight, not Henry or Amelia or any of the guests bound to be milling about the courtyard or at the front gate waiting for carriages. Most of all, I could not face Julian. He knew my crime, may even have been wounded by my actions. Tired as I was, I would walk home before seeking him out.
I pushed away from the tree and set off in search of a way to escape undetected. Before long, gravel crunched beneath my heels, indicating that I had stumbled upon a path. Content that I was still moving away from Julian and the main gate, I continued along the path until it had turned so many times, I would have been lost if not for the massive bulk of the palace. It now loomed straight ahead, dark and foreboding despite the candles that glowed in several of the windows. The path veered again, leading toward an adjacent wing where I caught sight of a passageway, the space beyond lit with burning lanterns. After roaming the grounds at random for so long, this offered the first hopeful sign. Walking forward, I found myself at the edge of another courtyard.
A man stepped in front of me. “Who goes there?” he asked. He was dressed in the king’s uniform, a sword at his side.
I recognized his face from my first trip to the palace. “Hello Peter, it’s Miss Kilbrid. I was here with Lady Dinley the other night.”
His expression softened. “Yours is not a name I’d soon forget, miss. What are you doing wandering about on your own?”
“I was at Princess Amelia’s party and got lost in the garden.” It was mostly the truth.He fell silent for a moment as he studied my face. “By chance, were you trying to avoid the other guests, miss?”
My breath hitched. “How did you know?”
“Word travels faster than fire in the palace. I heard you had a rough go with the princess.”
He sounded so understanding that I didn’t try to hide the truth. “She purposefully embarrassed me in front of her friends.”
“I’ve seen it happen before,” he said. “The princess has a sharp tongue for sure, but I’ll wager she’s the one left smarting from Lord Fitzalan’s rebuke. The man can be terrifying when in a rage.”
I didn’t recall Henry rebuking anyone, least of all Amelia. “What do you mean?”
“Well, miss, once you left the room he told her that she was no friend of his and then challenged every man present who would dare speak ill of you to a duel.”
My hand flew to my mouth. “He didn’t!”
Peter laughed softly. “Don’t worry, miss. Not one of those gentlemen was brave enough to accept his lordship’s challenge, though I’d wager an eyetooth he would have faced the whole lot of them if need be. Last I heard he was searching for you.” Laughter came from the garden and Peter glanced over my shoulder. “Looks like we’ve got some more lost guests—ladies and gents by the sound of it.”
I sighed heavily, dreading the impending encounter.