Chapter 1

Aldric Vance had been injured and lost his memory. Now, his mind was stuck in the year when he was a real bastard.

I hurried back to the estate to see Aldric, but ended up overhearing him outside, boasting to his buddies.

He said, "Wife? Please! I'm all about freedom and living wild. Marriage is the last thing I'd ever do."

With him acting so hostile toward me, I could only turn around and leave for now.

Later, when we first met at the inn, Aldric went out of his way just to learn my name.

His friends were all astonished.

"Seriously? You spent all that time just to figure out your wife's name?" one of them joked.

*****

Aldric had fallen off his horse while out fighting bandits, hitting his head hard.

As soon as I heard the news, I rushed over as fast as I could. When I got to the clinic, he was still out cold.

The doctor said there was some blood pooling in his brain, and he'd lost his memory for now. No one could say when he'd get it back.

Right now, he only remembered things from before he was fifteen.

Back then, Aldric was fearless, a wild troublemaker nobody wanted around.

His second-in-command wrung his hands, looking uneasy. "Lady Calanthe, I'm afraid Lord Aldric just can't wrap his head around being engaged right now."

I understood.

When the King arranged our marriage, Aldric wasn't exactly thrilled. He didn't dare defy the order outright, but he gave me the cold shoulder for quite a while.

Now, with his mind stuck at fifteen, there was no way he'd acknowledge me as his wife.

"I'll come back tomorrow," I said, turning to leave. "Please let me know as soon as he wakes up."

"Absolutely, Lady Calanthe. Rest assured," the second-in-command replied.

But the next day, before I heard anything from the Marquis's estate, a young apprentice from the clinic came running over to me.

The apprentice blurted out, "Lady Calanthe, something's wrong. Lord Aldric is gone.

"His room's empty, the back window's open, and there are footprints on the wall. He probably climbed out and ran off."

My heart skipped a beat.

It was hard to imagine that the steady, mature Aldric I knew now was once reckless enough at fifteen to sneak out the clinic window like that.

I headed to the tavern they always frequented, and there was his friend, Darian Blackwell, practically pacing in circles outside the private booth.

The moment he spotted me, it was like he'd seen a lifeline.

"Calanthe, thank goodness you're here. Aldric's dragging us into drinking and just won't take no for an answer," Darian said.

I pushed the door open, and the place reeked of booze.

Aldric was shoving a wine jug at Eamon Holloway, who looked like he'd rather be anywhere else.

"Drink up. If you don't, you're disrespecting me. Fiancée? Come on, don't try to mess with me," Aldric shouted.

Darian was practically wailing in the back. "Aldric, seriously. You really are married. The King's decree is legit.

"If Calanthe finds out you're out drinking with us before your wound's even healed, she'll have our heads."

"The King's decree?" Aldric raised an eyebrow, grinning like he'd just heard the funniest joke. "Yeah, keep spinning your stories. I hate being told what to do, and marriage? Not a chance."

I just stood there in the doorway. Aldric looked up right then and spotted me.

Our eyes locked. The swaggering Aldric from moments ago suddenly went stiff, totally caught off guard.

He hurriedly dropped the wine jug, scrambling to fix his loose collar, and his ears turned bright red for everyone to see.

At nineteen, Aldric was surprisingly pure, almost adorably shy, really.

Darian and the others didn't even dare to breathe.

I kept quiet, just glanced at the table littered with messy cups and spilled wine.

From behind me, Eamon leaned in and muttered under his breath, "Aldric, is this your…?"

I shot him a look, and he instantly clammed up.

Aldric didn't seem to notice the tension in the room. He was lost in his own world, muttering to himself. "I think... I might be falling for someone."

His voice was so soft that no one else could hear him.

Seeing Aldric looking so shy and awkward, I got a plan instantly.

The Aldric I knew at twenty-five was always steady and stern. This side of him was totally new to me.

So I lowered my gaze, speaking calmly and with a hint of unfamiliarity, deliberately keeping my real identity under wraps. "I'm here on behalf of the Marquis's estate to look after Lord Aldric."

His eyes sparkled, and he instantly forgot all that tough talk about never getting married. He leaned forward, eager. "Look after me? Then... what's your name?"

I looked up, teasing him in a detached, courteous manner. "Lord Aldric, there's no need for you to know my name.

"Just take your medicine on time, get some rest, and no more sneaking out or drinking."

As I spoke, I stepped forward and, without a word, took the wine jug from his hand and placed it back on the table.

Aldric stiffened as soon as I brushed his wrist, his face turning red, right down to his neck.

He just stared at me, totally frozen, all that bravado from earlier gone in a flash.