Taken by surprise by Abel’s suggestion, Cain was speechless for a moment.
“I mean,” Abel added, “why not let the entire kingdom see that you’re back? I’m sure they’ll want to see it with their own eyes. It would be a wonderful opportunity to express their loyalty to you and know that everything will return to how it was. What do you say?”
Cain was touched by his brother’s thoughtfulness and wondered if he’d misjudged him. His words seemed to suggest that losing the throne that had already been within his reach didn’t upset Abel. “I think it’s a great idea.”
“Excellent!” Abel exclaimed. “And may I suggest one more thing?”
Cain encouraged him with a nod.
“Why not invite the Mississippi clan?”
“Uh,” Cain said, hesitating, since he didn’t know anything about a Mississippi clan. John hadn’t mentioned them during the flight to New Orleans.
Abel raised his hand. “I know what you want to say, but hear me out. While you were gone they’ve reached out to us, wanting friendlier relations between the clans and lay to rest the border disputes we’ve had. I think inviting them to your welcome home party would be a generous show of our willingness to forgive their prior infractions and make peace.”
“Hmm.” Cain rubbed his chin in an attempt to look as if he was contemplating the matter. Which in a way he was. If there was truly another clan out there that his kingdom had had difficulties with previously, it might indeed be advantageous to bury the hatchet with them. It was hard enough to figure out who in his own clan was loyal to him. He didn’t need a war with another clan on his hands.
“Fine,” he finally said. “Invite them on my behalf and tell them they are welcome if they come in peace. I’m willing to discuss terms with them.”
With every word, Cain felt more like a fraud. He knew he was winging it, faking it. When would his brother or another member of his royal household figure out that he had no memory of his former life? And when they did, what would they do? Would the assassin strike again, encouraged by the fact that Cain didn’t know who to trust? And Abel, would he want to rip the reigns from Cain’s hands, suspecting that Cain wasn’t capable of ruling the kingdom because he suffered from amnesia?
But most of all, how would Faye react? Would she see him as weak, too?
20
Faye had spent a restless day in bed, trying to sleep, but sleep was elusive. She’d listened for any sound while everybody slept, but the sound of the door opening and Cain entering hadn’t come. He had made no attempt to see her, neither after he’d finished interrogating his guards nor after he’d retired to his suite. It only amplified her belief that he had lost interest in her and was in love with somebody else.
Determined to act, she rose in the early evening hours and started what she knew she couldn’t drag out any longer.
After organizing a few boxes, Faye now placed a handful of bras in one which she’d set on the chair at the foot of the bed, emptying out the top drawer of her dresser. She was about to close the drawer, when her gaze fell onto the trinkets sitting on top of the dresser. Mementos from her life with Cain, the few short weeks that they’d been happy together.
“What is this?”
Faye whirled around and saw Cain standing at the open door to her bedroom, his finger pointing at the moving box she’d been filling with her things.
Her chest tightened with longing. He looked as handsome as the night he’d left her bed and disappeared. As virile. As desirable. And she wasn’t the only one who thought so. She’d always known that, of course. That’s why Abel’s suspicion that Cain had found another woman wasn’t all that far fetched. Cain attracted women like mosquitoes swarming toward a bright light.
“Cain, I’m sorry. I will be out of here shortly,” she said, avoiding his gaze.
“Out of here?” he repeated and stepped in the room, shutting the door behind him.
“Yes, I’ll be moving out of the queen’s quarters. It’s really not appropriate any longer for me to be here.” Not after Cain had rejected her not twenty-four hours earlier. She had to face facts, and staying in this room any longer and fooling herself that things would work out was stupid.
His face remained impassive, though his jaw seemed to tighten. “So you’ve decided to stay with Abel then.”
Her forehead furrowed. Why would he think that? Hadn’t she told him already that she didn’t love his brother? “I broke off the engagement with him.” It had been a great relief, despite the words of caution Abel had imparted on her.