Maren roused shortly after Donovan put her into his bed, and Alec slipped into his role as physician. He examined her and declared that even though she had a mild concussion, a strained shoulder, badly bruised ribs, burns on her wrists and ankles, and assorted bruises nearly everywhere below her neck, she was not in any major physical danger.

"I know it looks bad, and I'm sure it feels worse. Rest, time, and pain medication will have you feeling better soon," he said.

Alec gave her some pain medication and then Maren wanted to sleep, which everyone agreed was a good idea.

Alec stepped out and Donovan tucked Maren in.

"Are you all right?" he asked. He was terribly worried about her.

She managed a smile. "Hurt but all right."

"Can you heal yourself?"

He had never asked her if she could. But he wasn't surprised when she shook her head.

"You can't use your own Light to heal yourself. Someone else has to," she said. "I'll be all right though."

He squeezed her hand. It was one of the few places he felt he could touch her without hurting her.

"I love you," he said. He just needed to tell her.

She smiled more genuinely that time. "I love you."

"I'll come check on you in a bit," Donovan said and kissed her forehead.

Donovan left his room and closed the door behind him. He leaned against it for a moment and sighed.

"So, you'd know if you were living with a witch?" Alec asked.

Donovan closed his eyes.

"I knew," he said.

Alex did not appear surprised. "Mmhmm. How long?" he asked.

"Since the day she arrived," Donovan said.

"And how long has Kieran suspected?"

"Since the day she arrived," Donovan repeated.

"Gods above, what has been going on?" Alec cried.

Donovan sighed. "I found out that Kieran has been stealing powers from his prisoners. Maren accidentally exposed herself at the Selection, and I felt I couldn't let him become more powerful, so I took her."

Donovan went on, telling Alec about everything that had happened between him and Maren since the Selection. He hadn't planned on it, but talking felt better than thinking about what he would have to do when they were done talking.

"Gods above," Alec said quietly when Donovan was finished. "I...gods... I don't know what to say. I can't believe she's been hiding that here for this long...I can't imagine..."

"Are you going to turn her in?" Donovan asked.

Alec looked appalled. "Gods, no! There are about a thousand reasons I would never turn Maren, but no one should be turned over to Kieran," he said.

Donovan nodded. "Thank you."

"It's for her as much as you," Alec said.

"Will you still take her to Worthingham?" Donovan asked.

"Of course. Gods, she's got to go now more than ever!" Alec said.

Donovan was relieved. He had worried that Alec would not want Maren to marry his father anymore. It crushed him, but Donovan needed the Duke to marry Maren. It was the only way to keep her safe.

"It doesn't change how I feel about her. Witch or no, there's nothing bad about her," Alec said.

Donovan ran his fingers through his hair.

"Please don't call her that," he said.

"Oh... I...apologies, it didn't occur to me...what is the term? Magical person?" Alec asked.

"Light Wielder," Donovan said, with a small smile.

He thought Maren would be amused by the expression "magical person."

Alec nodded. "Noted. Are you all right?"

"Not in the slightest," Donovan said.

He was furious at his brother, devastated that Maren was hurt, worried about Maren, and frightened that his brother might do something else insane. He couldn't think of a time when he'd been less all right.

"She'll be all right," Alec said. "She'll recover."

Donovan sighed. Maren's physical condition was concerning, but not the primary cause of his distress.

"We need an excuse for her to be confined."

"Unspecified riding injury?" Alec suggested.

Donovan nodded. "I think that will work. I'll go out to the stables and speak to Master Gregory shortly."

Donovan knew what needed to be done. But it would crush him. He also knew Maren would never forgive him for it. Perhaps that would make it easier for her then.

"I don't think it's wise for her to stay another week," Donovan said.

Alec frowned. "I really can't argue with you."

"Can you leave for Worthingham tonight?" he asked.

Alec raised his eyebrows. "Tonight?"

"I want to avoid giving Kieran any time to try to intercept you or try to get to her again," Donovan said.

Alec sighed and nodded. "I'll need to handle some things, but we can...if she's willing to."

Donovan buried his face in his hands. "I'll put her in the speeder myself if I have to," he said.

It would crush him to do it, but he had no choice. He had to do whatever he could to keep her safe.

Alec frowned and rose. "I need to go. I'll...well, I'll handle the trip. You handle the rest."

Donovan nodded. "Thank you."

After Alec left, Donovan called for Mrs. Whitley and told her that Maren had been injured while riding and would be leaving Court early to recover. It wasn't a perfect story, but it would do. Most of Maren's things were already packed, but Mrs. Whitley agreed to see to it that the rest was taken care of.

Donovan checked on Maren, she was still sleeping, and then went out to the stables to have a word with Mr. Gregory. He hated asking the man to lie, but it was for Maren. Mr. Gregory was surprised but happy to help Maren.

"You know, even experienced riders get thrown sometimes, Your Highness, sometimes the horse just gets spooked," Mr. Gregory said.

"Such a shame, but fortunately, she should make a speedy recovery," Donovan said.

He returned to his rooms and was relieved to see that Maren was still asleep. He didn't want her to wake up alone.

He laid down beside her, careful not to disturb her. He tried to memorize everything about her.

The lines of her face were etched with pain; she was not sleeping peacefully as she normally did. But still, she was so lovely. He had to resist the urge to touch her—he didn't want to wake her.

Sending her away abruptly was the worst thing he could imagine. He had wanted to have a proper goodbye and stay up all night with her. It still would have been awful to let her go, but doing it suddenly was far worse.

He wished he had known when he'd made love to her the afternoon before that it was the last time. He would've tried harder to memorize everything about that, too.

He whispered to her that he loved her, and silently told her all the things he wanted to, but she wouldn't let him say: that he would have given up everything for her, that nothing in the world could ever replace her place in his heart, and that spending his life without her would mean mourning her every single day.

He sniffed and wiped away his tears. He didn't want Maren to see that he was upset when she woke up. He wouldn't be able to hide it, of course, but he just didn't want it to be the first thing she saw. So, he took a shaky breath and tried to remember his happiest times with her.

They came to him easily: dozens and dozens of long conversations over brandy, her birthday, racing the horses through the fields, dancing with her at the Midsummer Ball, all the wonderful hours they spent together in bed holding each other and talking, and, perhaps most of all, the night she first came to his bed, so bold and so beautiful.

He was glad that the happiness he had found with her outweighed his grief. Every bit of pain he felt then, and he knew he would continue to feel for the rest of his life, was well worth it.

--

Maren woke up to find Donovan beside her. She was very happy to see him. Everything hurt, a lot, but she was so relieved to be alive, not arrested, and not have Kieran anywhere near her. It was such a substantial improvement that she couldn't help but smile.

He smiled when he saw she was awake.

"How are you?" he asked.

"I've been better, but I've been worse too," she said.

He moved closer and kissed her, but then suddenly looked sorrowful.

"I'm so sorry I didn't get to you sooner," he said.

She gave him the best smile she could. "Not your fault. He hid me fairly well."

"We found your watch," Donovan said.

She smiled. "I'm glad that worked."

"We were already going to the old section when we saw it, but then we knew we were right," he said.

"I don't really want to talk about it," she said. "I'm very glad you came when you did."

He smiled and kissed her again. Then his smile fell, and she had a sinking feeling that something awful was about to happen.

"I have to tell you something that is going to upset you," he said.

She frowned. "I don't like the sound of that."

"You're leaving tonight," he said. "In about two hours."

She sat bolt upright, but then regretted how much that aggravated her various injuries.

"No, I'm leaving in a week," she said, ignoring the pain.

Donovan sat up beside her and took her hands in his. She saw tears in his eyes.

"I can't protect you, so I have to send you to someone who can," he said.

She shook her head as tears fell down her face.

"No, you can, you saved me, I'll be all right," she said.

He shook his head. "Only because I surprised him. I'm no match for him, love. The only—"

He stopped, choked with emotion.

"The only thing I can do for you is get you to Worthingham. You'll be safe there."

"No, please, not like this," she cried.

She had wanted to spend their last week together saying goodbye. She knew it was not the sort of thing she could do in just one conversation.

"I'm so sorry, Maren. But it's done. Your last things are being packed and Alec is making the arrangements. I expect he's already sent a telegram ahead," he said.

He sniffed and wiped away his tears.

"I'd give anything to change it, but Maren, love, you have to leave," he said. "You aren't...it isn't safe here. And you have to go before he tries anything else."

She felt shattered. She tried to say something, anything, but she couldn't. She just wept.

She allowed him to pull her into his arms, not caring about which bruises he touched, and sobbed as he patted her back and shed his own tears.

"I can't do this," she breathed.

He kissed her temple. "Yes, you can, love," he whispered to her. "I know you can. You're so strong, Maren."

She shook her head. "For you. I need you."

"I'll always love you," he said.

She couldn't speak but nodded. He knew she would always love him too.

They sat there for a long time, holding each other and crying, and whispering how much they cared for each other when they were able to speak.

Maren could see that the sun was beginning to set when Donovan declared she needed to get cleaned up and eat. He also wanted to investigate the status of the preparations.

Maren wasn't sure she could stomach food, but she did want to change clothes.

Mrs. Whitley had thoughtfully left behind something clean for her to wear. Donovan helped her remove her very rumpled riding clothes and put on a clean gown. She couldn't bear the thought of putting a corset on over her aching ribs, but fortunately Mrs. Whitley also left a shawl out for her, so she decided that would suffice to maintain her modesty.

And because Mrs. Whitley seemed to know what everyone needed without being asked, she packed some food for the road.

"Say goodbye to her for me. And Lucy," Maren said to Donovan. "And all of them," she added, her voice breaking.

She really wanted to stop crying, but she couldn't.

Donovan held her while she did. She tried to notice each and every thing about how it felt for him to hold her. She did not think it was likely that she would ever be held that way again.

"It's time," he whispered.

Alec sent a note earlier to tell them he'd be in the drive with the speeder at seven o'clock. She knew Alec would be driving. Donovan didn't trust the drivers.

"I want so badly to be angry at you, but I know this is hurting you as much as me," she said. "And I know... I know you're doing this...b-because you love me."

She was weeping again.

"There are so...so many things... I still w-wanted to tell you," she said between sobs.

He gently wiped the tears from her eyes.

"My heart already knows," he said through his own tears.

She nodded. "I love you. I always will."

He closed his eyes as they filled with tears. "Me too."

He held out his arm for her, and she clung to it. She tried very hard not to think about how it was the last time he ever would.

It was fortunate there wasn't very far to go to get to the drive. Maren felt like she could barely breathe.

The cool night air was something of a comfort to her, but the sight of Alec standing beside a speeder made things worse. She felt like running away. She probably would have if Donovan hadn't had such a firm grip on her arm.

They reached the door of the speeder, and Donovan reached into his jacket and took out a stack of handkerchiefs.

"For the road," he said.

She clutched them in her hand, and he held her close for one last time. Neither of them could speak, but there wasn't anything to say anymore.

He opened the door of the speeder and gently but firmly pushed her towards it and away from him. She wanted to resist, but did not. She did not want to make it harder on Donovan. So, she allowed herself to be tucked into the seat beside the driver.

The sound of the door closing felt like the end of her life. She knew without a shadow of a doubt that she would never have anyone who loved her the way Donovan had. Even though she had lived much of her life without that love, she hadn't known what she was missing.

Now she knew, and she did not know how she would be able to go on without it.

Donovan was still standing outside the speeder, speaking to Alec. Maren didn't listen. She couldn't bear it.

Then Donovan touched his fingers to the glass on the window, and so did she. One last moment of communion was all they had, but she clung to it.

Alec got into the driver's seat.

"Are you...?" he trailed off.

That was fine, Maren didn't know what she was.

But she nodded, and Alec turned on the speeder. They pulled away from the palace a few moments later.

Maren didn't watch Donovan and the palace disappear. She stared straight ahead, clinging to Donovan's handkerchiefs. She thought of little else but how it felt like part of her heart was being torn away. 

She thought that felt very appropriate and knew that that piece of her heart would stay with Donovan and in return, he had given her a piece of his. A piece of his heart and a stack of handkerchiefs did not seem like enough to remember their love by, though.

She closed her eyes and let the tears come.

A piece of his heart and a stack of handkerchiefs would have to do.