Page 67 of Scarred Ruin

We backed away together, leaving the nightlight Mina insisted on keeping, a little light that I’d purchased not long after coming home from the hospital.

Isabel stood in the doorway for a few seconds longer than necessary and I sensed she was thinking about her sister.

My world was a complex chain of events, often putting out fires and preventing wars that had nothing to do with countrywide politics. Yet everything to do with men and sometimes women vying for power and control.

I wasn’t used to softness or feeling as if I could take time for what some might call the simple aspects of life. I was a dangerous man prone to doing heinous deeds.

But on this night, I didn’t want to be known as the brutal monster who just happened to be a decent father.

How odd.

How interesting.

How potentially debilitating.

Letting my guard down was unacceptable, but around Isabel, it was almost an unwritten rule.

She didn’t wait for me, heading down the stairs while I said my goodnight as my grandmother used to do so long ago.

When I made it downstairs, I was curious as to what the lovely architect was doing. I found her in the kitchen filling one of two bowls we’d purchased with water.

She sensed my presence behind her, every muscle in her body stiffening.

“You should consider taking this upstairs. He’s a puppy and won’t know where to find water. Plus, you might want to consider setting your alarm and taking him out in a few hours. He has a small bladder, remember. Just like a child. I don’t want to feel as if I’d told Carrie a lie. I’ll send you a link to a veterinarian I’ve heard very good things about. Make an appointment.”

She wasn’t facing me nor did she seem interested in doing so.

“Anything else?”

“He needs a bath,” she reiterated.

I watched in silence as she took the bowl to a spot on the floor, easing it down without spilling a drop. When she was finished, she glanced at the bags she’d placed on the table and I noticed a tiny smile from pleasure with our purchases.

“Why didn’t you ask?” Whether or not my question caught her off guard wasn’t easy to decipher until she shored her shoulders.

“Ask about what?” Her voice was barely a whisper.

“About my scars.”

“There was no need.” She pulled out a dog toy from the bag. Perhaps she needed the distraction. This was a moment of exposing emotions neither one of us was ready for, but was necessary even for a close-knit relationship.

I took a step closer as the hunger for her began to spiral out of control. “And why is that?”

“Because nothing could detract from how handsome or powerful you are except for your actions.”

Her answer was as honest and straightforward as I’d ever heard. “But they do define me.”

She remained quiet, trembling more from anxiety than anticipation. “Not to me.”

“You have every reason to be afraid of me, Isabel. There has never been a reason to lie about who or what I am. But that doesn’t mean I don’t feel agony along with rage. They are intertwined and have been for years. Her name was Anastasia. My wife. She was my everything. Light to my darkness, a reason to endure the insanity. Just like you, she didn’t belong in my world. Just like you, she grew tired of dealing with worrying about my safety. About the safety of our baby girl.”

Very slowly, Isabel turned her head.

“We were fighting, Ana furious after me telling her I knew my father was ready to retire and that I would take the throne. She’d hoped I’d walk away, that her love was strong enough to lure me away from my duties. Trust me. I thought about it more than once. But duty prevailed, my father’s retirement out of the blue and there was no choice but to accept my destiny.”

While remaining against the edge of the table, Isabel turned to face me. The emotion in her eyes wasn’t to chastise or challenge, but to support.

“She went out against my wishes with her friends, knowing I’d stay with Mina. Daring me to send any soldiers. And for once, I honored her wishes.” I looked away, determined not to allow the memory to break down my defenses.