Even if I would like nothing more than to go to bed, I force down my dinner and act as if nothing is bugging me as I stroll through the garden of the palace with Cayden.

They need to see us together as much as possible, so I let the stress scroll off my stiff shoulders, and try to enjoy the time with my mate.

Although I don’t know how long I'll be able to do that.

Taking a deep breath, I get Cayden’s worried expression back on me.

“Are you feeling alright?”

“Oh, yes,” I say with a smile. “The dinner was delicious, wasn’t it?”

He chuckles, as he...