Aftermath by Jaci Burton Page B

did not deserve it. He pressed his palm to her cheek. “Sweet Erin. I love you and I beg your forgiveness for not being as attentive as I should have been. You are growing into such a beautiful young lady. So much like our mother I can see I will have to keep a much closer watch on you lest some young man thinks to sweep you away before I am ready to let you go.”
    She smiled, her face beaming with light and happiness. He danced her over to the young man and kissed her hand, then bowed before her, turning next to his little brother. “Donny, come here.” Donny scurried over. “I did not do it, Braedon. And if I did, I promise not to do it again.” Braedon tried not to smile. “I see. I understand you have a fascination with swords.” Donny looked at his shoes. “The sword was just lying there. I did not know it belonged to you. I promise not to touch it again.”

    Braedon’s lips quirked but he hid it behind his hand. “I see. What do you think we should do about this, Donny?”
    Donny kept his gaze down. “I do not know. I am sorry, Braedon. It was a very nice sword and I polished it like your guard told me to. It was very heavy too.”
    “I believe I know exactly what we should do. Tomorrow morning you will report to Gerard for military exercises and begin your training.”
    Donny’s head shot up and his eyes widened. “Really, Braedon?”
    “Aye. You are plenty old enough. But you must take your training seriously and do everything Gerard tells you. Understand?”
    “Oh yes. Thank you, Braedon!”
    The boy rushed up and threw his arms around Braedon’s middle. Braedon choked back emotion and ruffled Donny’s hair, realizing he should have been this child’s father figure from birth. He had been failing miserably in his duties for years.
    That would stop here and now.
    “You did well,” Nadine said later after the party began to dissipate.
    “I have been a fool,” Braedon said, nursing his cup of ale. “It took an outsider like Trista to point it out to me.”
    “Aye. That it did. And you owe her the biggest apology of all.”
    “Where is she?” he asked.
    “I do not know. She has been avoiding you all night.” And like the coward he was, he did not even look for her, knowing he needed to speak to her but wanting to put it off as long as possible. But now he could no longer avoid saying what needed to be said. “I am not very good at putting emotions into words. Whenever I open my mouth, I seem to insult her.”
    “You did a very fine job with Erin and Donny,” Nadine said. “Just speak from your heart with Trista too.”
    He nodded and went in search of her, having no idea what it was he would say when he found her.

Chapter Nine
    Once again Trista stood in the cool, calming forest of D’Naath, wondering if this time she shouldn’t just make the long trek back to her castle, despite the fact it would take several days to get there.
    Would her father welcome her or would he send her back to Braedon? Somehow she knew going back to her father would only result in him sending her back to Greenbriar.
    Back to Braedon.
    She sighed and sat on the grass, lifting her skirt to tickle her toes at the water’s edge. She looked up at the moon, wishing it would provide answers. Instead, the silvery orb stared silently back at her.
    It seemed no matter what she tried to do, she would never be able to please Braedon. He thought her immature, foolish, a child.
    Oh he enjoyed fucking her, of course. Then he thought her a woman. But when it came time to talk with her, to treat her as his queen, he berated or belittled her. No more. She could not live with a man who treated her so. She would not subject herself to his constant insults.
    It was time to stop hiding in the forest and live with the way things would be. This was her punishment for her foolishness, for trying to help her sister. Now she had sealed her own fate and had fallen in love with a man who did not love her back. She had done exactly what