When Rowan returned to the palace, his clothes were completely soaked, the damp fabric clinging heavily to his skin. He went straight to his quarters first to change before returning to his usual position outside Rosalind's chamber, guarding a room that now stood empty because she was gone.
He lowered himself slowly beside the door, exhaustion finally crashing into him all at once. Resting his head back against the wood, he closed his eyes briefly as though trying to steady himself.
At least Rosalind had escaped.
By now, the boat must have carried her far away from the kingdom already.
He could still picture the exact way she had looked at him before the boat disappeared into the darkness. Even now, her eyes remained burned into his mind and it had taken everything in him to turn away from that shore and return to the palace alone.
For the first time in a long while, Rowan felt truly drained emotionally.
