Read Online The Heir by Suzanna Lynn - Free Book Online Page B

not wish to have our last night
together filled with fighting.”
    “Neither do I,” Luana replied. “It’s just
that woman is so vile…”
    “She is still royalty,” Baylin replied. “The
law requires she be respected. What were you thinking by treating
her in such a way?”
    “What do you mean?” Luana asked. “I wasn’t
thinking anything. She showed up here, uninvited, pretending she
cared to know me and then turned on me.” Luana gave Baylin a
wounded look. “You obviously care about her more than you have let
on. You trust her over me.”
    “She said you threatened her,” Baylin said
grimly. “It could be considered treason if she presses. I’m trying
to protect you.”
    “I didn’t… she’s lying,” Luana muttered,
hurt.
    “It’s not like Isla to lie,” Baylin
defended.
    “But I am?” Luana spat.
    “Of course not,” Baylin defended. “But
obviously someone is lying.”
    Luana screamed at him, wringing her hands in
the air. “By someone, you are referring to me. After all, your
precious Isla would never lie to you.”
    Baylin realized how his words had sounded.
“No, not at all. I simply don’t understand why she would lie.”
    Luana shook her head, gritting her teeth.
“She lies because she wants to drive us apart. She lies because she
knows you do not want to marry her. She lies because I love you and
that worries her. The problem is you are too blinded by her beauty
to see it!”
    Baylin stepped forward, cupping Luana’s chin
and bringing her eyes to his. “If I have been blinded, it is due to
your own beauty. When you are with me, I can see nothing but
you.”
    “No.” Luana jerked away from him. “You
cannot fix this with charm, by pushing it under the rug. You need
to see her for what she truly is.”
    Baylin groaned, frustrated. “I understand
why you do not like Isla, I do. But if you could only know her as I
do…”
    “You defend her?” Luana accused, glaring at
him. “Still?”
    “No… Yes… It’s just…” Baylin grasped at what
words to say that would end the argument. He was frustrated,
confused and hurt by the whole situation.
    “You’re just like the King,” Luana said in a
wounded tone. “You’re as blind as he is.”
    Baylin looked at Luana, irritated. “What do
you mean by that?”
    “You scold him for not seeing Lord Cadman
for what he is,” Luana murmured. “Yet you allow a veil to be pulled
over your eyes to the Princess’s cruelty and manipulative
behavior.”
    Baylin’s face softened, taking in the depth
of Luana’s words.
    “I do not wish to fight with you,” Luana
continued. “I love you, even with your foolish affection for the
Princess. But I will not be accused of something I did not do.”
    Baylin pulled Luana into his arms. “I am
sorry to have caused you pain. You must know my greatest desire is
only to bring you happiness.”
    Baylin breathed in deep, taking in the sweet
smell of Luana. He wanted to memorize it so it would be with him
always. He could feel Luana relax in his arms and he gave a deep
sigh, feeling the heat of their quarrel passing.
    When they broke their embrace, Luana gave
him a worried look. “So it is true then? You are going to war?”
    Baylin dropped his eyes. “Yes. We leave in
the morning.”
    “For how long?” Luana’s eyes threatened more
tears.
    He took Luana by the hand and led her to the
settee, sitting next to her. “Hopefully not long, but these things
are not clear until we are in the heart of the battle. Right now,
with the amount of men we have, we should be able to clear the
troll hordes out of Mirstone in a matter of weeks. However, we will
have to stay long enough to re-establish order within the villages.
King Gideon was careless. He should have never left his
people.”
    She took Baylin’s hands in her own. “I know
you feel it is your responsibility to set a good example and defend
them, but your duty is to Grasmere, not Mirstone. You are needed
here.”
    Baylin jerked his hands