Rooftop

A heavy silence weighed upon them as they sat there. Sierra stared up at the stars, trying to avoid looking toward the king's palace. It loomed in the distance, its cluster of towers resembling jagged teeth.

She sighed. "Do you think the prince will like me?" The feeling of Dustin's eyes rested on her, but she held her gaze on the dark skies. She knew the outcome of the few weeks was as painful to her friend as it was to her, if not more.

Sierra waited, but Dustin didn't answer. What had she expected him to say? Tears pricked her eyes as she realized she had just ruined their last time alone.

Why did everything have to be so difficult? Why did she have to fall in love with Dustin Alder, her only friend? At that moment, she thought things would have been far less painful if she had never met him at all.

"Don't leave."

Sierra's heart skipped. "What?" She glanced sideways at him.

He turned and met her eyes with his dark ones. "If you hide, and don't show up at the palace, who will know?"

Sierra couldn't believe her ears. Was Dustin really saying this to her? Or was she having another imaginary conversation?

But Dustin continued, and this time she was sure it was really him speaking.
"There are over twenty other girls competing for the prince; no one will even notice if you're not there. You can take my horse and ride away - tonight. Go to Albrook and find my sister."

"But...but the king will know. He chose me specifically!"

Dustin ignored her and kept planning.
"I'll come find you in two weeks. By then, the prince will have already chosen his bride. And you'll be eighteen, right?"

I'll be eighteen, Sierra thought. Why did he say that? He couldn't mean... "Dustin," she said, taking a breath. "Why are you saying all this? It's too dangerous. If the king finds out, he'll punish whoever helped me - or worse. You can't risk your life like that!"

"Yes, I can."

"But why?"

He was silent for a moment, as if gathering his courage.

"Because I love you, Sierra Auburn."