Ibrowse through the countless books in the library, not finding a single one that could teach me anything about curses that I don’t already know. The information here is outdated and elementary, at best.“Arabella.”noveldramaI pause at the sound of Nathaniel’s voice and turn around, finding him standing in the doorway. He stares at me as though he can’t quite believe I’m truly here, and I smile, the feeling bittersweet.“It really is you,” he whispers, walking up to me. Nathaniel pauses in front of me, and then he wraps his arms around me, embracing me. I tense for a moment, and then I hug him back, finally at ease with my feelings for him. What I felt was never romantic love—it was a combination of comfort and the acceptance I so badly desired, wrapped in years of friendship. Years of insinuations about the two of us made it easy to assume that everyone must be right, that we were in love, but I know better now.True love is all-consuming and maddening. It’s selfless, yet selfish, all at once. It’s unconditional and uncontrollable. I’ve never felt that kind of love for anyone but Felix.He pulls away, placing his hands on my shoulders. “You’re wearing his colors,” he says, his voice laced with disgust, and I frown.“I’m his wife,” I tell him, straightening the dark cloak I’ve grown accustomed to wearing.Nathaniel takes a step away from me, his eyes roaming over me. “So you are.” We both fall silent for a moment, neither of us sure of what to say. “I suppose I owe you my gratitude for the unexpected release and reinstatement,” Nathaniel says, his voice soft.I shake my head. “It was Felix who gave the order. Besides, I’d never let you suffer for attempting to help me. I never should have agreed to go with you in the first place. I knew we wouldn’t get away with it, but I was scared and tempted by hope.”“Felix,” he repeats, his expression filled with venom. “Arabella, I can’t stand the idea of you being with him. Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been about you? Countless times I’ve considered chasing after you in an attempt to free you from him. I’ve thought of the two of us running away and creating a life of our own, one where no one knows who we are. I’ve dreamed of it so often that some nights I woke up, certain I’d find you by my side.”I take a step away from him and look away. “You’ve always been my best friend, Nathaniel… but that’s all you and I ever really were. I believe you know that, too. If you felt differently about me, you’d have proposed marriage when I came of age, but you didn’t. You didn’t act at all until you felt it was the only way to keep me safe.”He looks into my eyes, startled. “No, Arabella. No, of course not. You were the crown princess of all Althea, and I… I was merely the son of a duke. I didn’t feel qualified to ask for your hand. I didn’t dare.”I smile at him. “If you’d truly loved me, you wouldn’t have cared. Someday, Nathaniel… Someday you’ll understand. When you find someone you truly love, you’ll know that what we shared was never romantic love. It was love, and it still is, but it was love born out of friendship.”He stares at me, a hint of anger making its way into his expression. “Surely you don’t… you can’t care for that beast. You can’t truly believe you love him. Arabella, did you not see what he did to your father? He’s a monster, a brute.”I grimace, wishing Felix had reined in his temper that day. All my people have ever seen of him is his ruthlessness. Because of his actions on our wedding day, I feared him, too. It took me weeks of getting to know him and seeing the way his people loved him before I changed my view of him. I can’t expect anyone in Althea to understand.“Nathaniel… he’s my husband,” I say instead.His eyes roam over my face, his gaze searching. “You’re different,” he says. “He must have you bewitched. You’re colder, and though you try to hide it, I see your sorrow. Say what you will, but it’s clear to me you aren’t happy.”I look away, wishing I could explain that I’m unhappy because I’m away from Felix. No one outside of Eldiria knows anything of the curse, and it must stay that way for Felix to remain in control of our vast empire.“You don’t have to go back, Arabella. I’m not asking you to be with me, but I can help you disappear if that’s what you want. I might not be the Shadow Emperor, but I have connections that can help you stay off his radar. There’s nothing I won’t do to take away the pain I so blatantly see in your eyes.”I smile at him, unable to help myself. It’s no wonder I thought I was in love with him. “Trust me when I say that it’s not possible to evade Felix, and I wouldn’t even if I could.” One single glance in the Mirror of Pythia and he’d find me. Though I suspect he wouldn’t even need to do that much. I firmly believe that he’d be able to feel my presence, the way Elaine feels Raphael’s.“Arabella…”I shake my head. “I know that it’s hard for you to understand, but I swear he treats me well. I’m happy in my marriage, Nathaniel. He hasn’t bewitched me, for such a thing is not remotely possible, nor am I his prisoner. I’m here now, aren’t I? He let me go home because I missed Serena so terribly.” The white lie falls off my lips with such ease that it astounds even me. “I don’t need you to save me, Nathaniel.”He looks into my eyes and I can’t hold his gaze, vulnerability washing over me. “If you’re happy in your marriage, then why do you look so miserable?”I look up at him, not wanting to hurt his feelings yet unable to lie to him. “Because I miss my husband more than I missed Althea. I’m here now, and all I want to do is go back, but I can’t. I can’t return so soon after arriving here, because Felix will just worry that I was made to feel unwelcome.”It isn’t the entire truth, but there’s enough truth there for me to speak with sincerity.“He truly treats you well?”I nod. “He treats me like the empress he made me.”“Empress,” he repeats softly. “I suppose that’s what you are now. Empress of Eldiria.”I smile, the title feeling foreign to me. Though our empire is vast, we spent all our time in the parts that made up Eldiria before Felix conquered half our world. I was always treated with reverence, but there was a certain kind of familiarity with the people, all of us united through joint suffering. I never felt like I was their empress—I never felt as untouchable as my father always has. Instead, I took pride in the bond I developed with everyone I met throughout our journey through the country.“I can’t tell what it is you’re lying to me about, Arabella, but I know there’s something you’re keeping from me. I won’t rest until I know what it is. I won’t stop worrying about you until the pain in your eyes disappears.”I smile at him, but I struggle to push down my fears. How long will I be able to keep smiling and pretending everything is fine? I can’t keep up this charade forever, and I’m terrified of facing a life without Felix in it.