"What do you mean that things happened quickly?" asked Ileus as if trying to connect the dots. "You've got to be kidding me." He rolled and got out of the bed. He walked to a window and removed the drapes to lean on its ledge.
Anastasia's heartbeat increased. She didn't like his demeanor one bit. She covered herself with a blanket and after checking her rising temper she looked at his naked back and said, "Ileus, when we started out this journey, I wasn't even sure about you. I grew close to you during our trip through Sgiath Biò. And only a week had passed. We reached Óraid where through a series of incidents, I came to know that you are my mate." She frowned. "Can you tell me how many days have passed between leaving Vilinski and getting married to you?"
He turned his head over his shoulder. "Where is this leading to?"
Anastasia glared at him as if he was not on the same wavelength as hers. "Do you know how long I have been harboring that secret?" she said through a clenched jaw as her chest heaved. "I was only ten when that day Aed Ruad came into my room with a sack on his bag. He dumped the sack onto the floor and I saw it moving. I heard a whimper, a call for help and looked at the bag. When I asked him what was in it, did you know what happened to me?" Her throat choked. "Aed Ruad slashed my fragile wings when they had unraveled from my back for the first time. You can never understand the excruciating pain I went through. Even in that condition I wanted to help the girl in the sack, but I was kicked and beaten by Maple."
Ileus turned to look at her and crossed his hands across his chest.
She continued, "It has been eight years since I have kept that information a secret from everyone. I don't know why. I think somewhere on the inside I wanted to use it for helping my parents because I knew it was too valuable." A muted whimper shuddered her on the inside. "When you helped me to escape, I had just one plan in my mind—meet Queen Adrianna and trade this information with her. Use it in exchange for her help… to free my kingdom from Aed Ruad and to free my parents from the celestial prison."
"Oh my god!" Ileus threw his hands up in the air. "You wanted to use the information regarding Iona to your advantage? My sister has been missing for eight years and I have been hunting everywhere for her. You could have told me that!"
Anastasia narrowed her eyes. "When should I have told you that? I got married to you within two weeks of meeting you as opposed to holding the information for eight years! Even though you are my mate, how much do I know you, Ileus? Have we had time to get to know each other? I am still trying to wrap my head around the meaning of 'mate'. For god's sake, it's just been two weeks of knowing you. Only two days back I came to know that you are Queen Adrianna's son. Is that enough?"
Ileus glared at her pointedly. Pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger, he said, "Don't you raise your voice Anastasia! If anyone has a right to yell, it's me."
Anastasia's mouth fell wide open. Was he even listening to her? Did he see her reason or he had built a wall around his logic? "You could have told me any time, Anastasia, but you chose not to." He balled his fists tightly beside him.
"Yes, I chose not to tell you that time," she balked. "But I have told you now. I have given away the only information I had in my hand to help my kingdom, my people and my parents, for free. Why? Because I wanted to give it to you as a wedding gift. Despite the fact that your mother and your people hate me, despite the fact that now I don't have that tiny chance of getting back my kingdom, I shared this knowledge with you." Tears stung her eyes when she realized the gravity of her revelation. "You are a Prince without a kingdom only because you married me. You have forsaken the wishes of so many only because you chose me. And that is why this was the best gift I could give you." She wiped a tear that stupidly had to roll out of her eyes. "Now tell me, did I do anything wrong?"
Ileus' head jerked in stunned surprise. Her words hit him like a dart dipped in truth potion. It was hard to digest, but she was right. For her everything was… new. He could see the acute pain in her eyes and feel the sorrow of her heart, and it made him… tremble. He walked to the bed and sat beside her. His gaze darted between her eyes and he leaned forward to kiss those tears away. He cupped her cheeks and breathed, "I am sorry, Ana, I am sorry for not understanding your predicament." He rested his forehead on hers. "But life isn't fair." He wanted to soothe her howling soul. After what seemed like eternity, he said, "We both are victims of something that was not in our control, but I promise you that I am going to help you in your endeavors." A ragged breath left him. "I promise to help you get back your kingdom and free your parents. And if you like you can share the information about Iona with me. I won't force you, but know that I am eager to find her. No, scratch that. I am desperate to find her." He closed his eyes as his chest rose up and down heavily, as his hands went to wrap her nape.
She cupped his cheeks and said, "I started this topic only to tell you what I know, Al."
