Read Online The Knight Of The Rose by A. M. Hudson - Free Book Online Page B

to protect you,” he scolded, then smiled at my shocked expressi on. “Even if it
    means I’m falling apart.”
    I don’t agree , I huffed internally.
    “And—” he added, sitting up and dropping his elbows over his knees.
    I sat up beside him and touched the tips of my fingers along the tight skin on his shoulder.
    “And what?”
    “And…I need to tell you something …” As our eyes met, a flash of sadness turned his pale
    green, “—something which, I’m afraid to say, is not good news.”
    “Okay.” My voice trembled a little.
    “I told you I would warn you when it was time for me to leave?”
    “Yes.” My stomach sunk; I bit my bottom lip.
    “Well…the… I—” his voice st eadied with a chest-li fting breath; he looked to the side, his
    gaze fixing on my lips, then rising up to my eyes. “The time has come.”
    My mouth fell open. No!
    “I’ve been called to return to duty.”
    “What? When?”
    “Two weeks.”
    “Two weeks? But—that’s not enough time. Ho
    w can I —how can you expect me to.” I
    stopped and shook my head. “No. No, you can’t do this. You—”
    “That’s not the worst part, Ara.” He took another deep br eath, shuffling his posit ion
    nervously. “In that two weeks, I am expected to operate the Set from the New York offices. I will
    only be able to see you at night.”
    “Night? Two weeks? And that’s it? For forever?”
    “Unless you change your mind and become a vampire,” he said in a low, dry tone.
    “David. I can’t make a decision like that in two weeks. How can you possibly expect me to—
    ”
    “Because you have to, Ara!” He looked at me long enough to see the hurt infect my face.
    “The time is now. Like it or not. You have to choose. When the full moon rises in a fortnight, I will
    be boarding a train and leaving for Le Château de la Mort—with or without you beside me.”
    “You can’t do this to me. Mike’ s here f or the next two weeks. How am I going to choose
    between life and immortality while he’s dist racting me?” I sl ipped my bra straps back onto my
    shoulders and pushed my stringy wet hair from my eyes. “Can’t you reason with them? Can’t you do
    something?”
    “Ara. You don’t understand the ways of the Set. I’ve been ordered to return by the head of
    the World Council—the king, for God’s sake. One does not refuse an order from the king.”
    “But—”
    “Look.” He dropped his head with a dejected breath. “Two weeks to get my affairs in order
    was a generous courtesy. He needn’t have offered that at all—”
    “Why? Are you in trouble?”
    “In ways.” The grip where he held his wrists together over his knee s tightened. “The man I
    entrusted to run things in my absence has proven less than reliable. I must return and pull things into
    line.”
    “But you have a life here. What about school and—”
    “Ara, the Set do not care! It’s a part of being on the Council. I knew this when I j oined; I
    accepted that with all of its glory and all of its responsibility. I must leave. That is all there is to it.”
    “But, what will I do without you—how will I get through the days?”
    “Something tells me you’ll be fine.” He smiled conceitedly.

    “Now what’s that supposed to mean?”
    David stared at the ground. “I have a confession to make.”
    “Okay…”
    He turned his head to the side—away from me. “I was listening last night. When you spoke
    to Emily and Alana—about Mike.”
    Oh no. I covered my brow.
    “That’s what happened? Wasn’t it?” He looked back at me and nodded once . “The reason
    you were crying the night you asked your mum to pick you up? The night she—”
    “Yes,” I whispered.
    “I’m so sorry, Ara.” David’s arms flew around me, pinning my cheek to his stomach. “He
    was a fool to turn you down.” He pulled back from me a little and held my face in his hands; “I guess
    that explains your over-analysing when I wouldn’t kiss you. I’m