I rise on shaky legs. Darien keeps his arm around my waist, holding me steady.
"Get every pirate, guard, and loyal man to the crown that you can. We need as many as possible to win this war."
Darien turns me around to face him. "Will you stop for a second?"
"I don't have time to stop, she's descending upon the castle at midnight tomorrow."
Darien's baby blues scan my face. "We can afford one hour."
I shake my head. "No, we-"
He grabs my wrist and pulls me with him. "You don't have a choice."
He grabs one of the guards on his way out.
"Summon the men from the beach, and collect the guards from the city. We need everyone." The guard nods and rushes out of the castle.
Darien slips one arm under my shoulder blades and the other under my legs.
"Darien, put me down."
He responds with a smile and continues to carry me up the stone steps leading to the roof. When we reach the top, he releases me and sets me down in the doorway to the rooftop. Grabbing my wrist, he pulls me with him out into the evening sun.
I glance at him. "Darien, I really don't have time for-"
He presses his index finger to my lips. He nods towards the setting sun.
"Look," he says softly.
My breath catches as my eyes take in the setting sun over my kingdom. Darien lowers himself onto the edge of the rooftop and swings his legs over it before grabbing my wrist and pulling me down with him. My eyes widen at how high we are. Darien's arms wrap around my shoulders and pull me towards him.
"I'll hold on to you so you won't fall."
Suddenly, a feeling of safety washes over me. My eyes move back to sunset, no longer afraid.
"Darien?"
"Hmm?"
"Thank you."
I lean my head on his shoulder.
"What are friends for?"
I look up at him through my lashes. "Is that what we are now? Friends?"
He leans in so close, our noses touch.
"Well, maybe a little more than friends."
YOU ARE READING
RULE (Completed)
Adventure"You are queen now, start acting like it." Ariana has waited her entire life to become queen and rule her country. But things prove to be much more difficult than she ever thought they would be. After the death of her beloved father, her mother sudd...
