The Carnelian Legacy by Cheryl Koevoet Page A

successful in conducting the business they had come for, and she knew she’d made the right decision not to join them for dinner.
    All of a sudden, Darian glanced up at her window and she quickly hid behind the drapes. Marisa didn’t want to reinforce his suspicions that she was spying on him. She peeked out again a moment later, but the men were already gone.
    Knowing that the next day would be another busy one, she shut the drapes and sighed. On her way back to bed, she blew out the candles as her thoughts turned to their adventures in the woods when the horrible beasts were chasing them. She’d never been so scared in her entire life, but Darian had displayed remarkable courage in killing the monsters that had attacked Arrie. As her heart began to burn once more for him, she tried to force him from her mind.
    Mesmerized by the fire, her eyelids drooped as the remaining flames died down into nothing but glowing embers. Just as she was drifting off to sleep, she was startled by a solid knock at the door.
    She groaned and rolled out of bed in search of a robe. When she couldn’t find one, she tiptoed across the cold stone floor and remembered Arrie’s promise to have the cook send up some food.
    She opened the door and was surprised to find Darian standing in the doorway, holding a tray of food in his arms. Cleanly shaven and wearing a different uniform, he seemed distracted when he saw her in the sheer nightgown.
    “Good evening, milady. May I come in?”
    “Uh, yeah—sure. Come on in.” She crossed her arms nervously and her face flushed with embarrassment.
    “Arrie said you weren’t feeling well. We thought some food might make you feel better.” He set down the tray and removed the cloth.
    “Thank you, Your Royal Highness.”
    Busted. “You’re welcome,” he said sheepishly.
    “That was, um—very thoughtful.”
    Awkward silence.
    “Yeah, okay—so why didn’t you tell me you’re a prince?”
    Darian checked the hallway to make sure no one was listening and quickly shut the door. He leaned against it and sighed.
    “It was a minor detail that wasn’t important at the time.”
    “Not important?” Marisa shot back. “I’d say a detail like that is pretty darned major!”
    “Would it have made any difference when you were nearly killed by the rijgen?”
    “That is not the point! You lied to me and made me believe that you were just an ambassador. I had to find out from the maid that actually you’re a prince!”
    “I did nothing of the sort. For all intents and purposes, while we are on this journey, I am His Excellency Ambassador Darian Fiore. That is my official capacity until we reach Crocetta!”
    More awkward silence.
    He lowered his voice. “Would you have treated me differently had you known that I was a prince?”
    “Of course I would have!”
    “Then perhaps you will understand why I did not tell you.”
    She turned her back and walked to the windows.
    “Marisa, it was not my intention to mislead you in any way—”
    “But?”
    “But it has just been my experience that fancy titles such as mine build up walls that can hinder most inconveniently.”
    “Believe me, I’d rather have a wall to climb over than be lied to any day,” she said angrily. Darian looked as if he’d just been slapped.
    He cleared his throat. “The Viscount Savino da Rocha kindly requests that you join him tomorrow morning for breakfast and after that a day filled with hunting and sports.”
    “I would be honored to join him, Your Highness.”
    “Then I bid you a pleasant night’s sleep, milady.” He bowed hastily and hurried down the corridor.
    As his brisk footsteps grew fainter, Marisa slammed the door in frustration. She hadn’t meant to be so hard on him, but he seemed to bring out the worst in her. She was falling for him but didn’t know how to stop it from happening. He wasn’t the type of guy that a girl could be just friends with. Darian Fiore was the sort of man that most women would have