Awkwardness fell over us as I sat on the bench with Patrick standing beside me. Marsha had seemed more than eager to get out of there, which I couldn’t blame him. I hardly knew what to say to normal people let alone the leader of all of Alban. Especially since we were sort of courting each other.

Would that be what it was called? I didn’t think so. I’d been threatened to show up or else my family gets shunned. Then paraded around like livestock for their pleasure. I couldn’t count the number of times I’d been poked and prodded by Asher and his girls. Though, they I could hardly blame for any of it.

I could blame Patrick though.

“You’re angry,” he stated after a moment. He stayed standing but put his hands in his pockets, pushing the suit jacket back slightly to reveal the off-white shirt beneath. Even from here I could see the outline of the muscles beneath. I’d never thought of him as a man, only as someone to focus all my problems on. It was a funny feeling.

“Yes,” I answered, finally meeting his eyes with a fierce determination. Attractive or not, it didn’t change the fact that he had done me wrong. Had done Violet and so many others wrong. I couldn’t let my weakness distract me.

He watched me intently before saying, “It’s because of that girl, correct? Zara?”

“Yes.” Simple answers were the way to go when trying to hold my anger. I didn’t want to blow my top now. There was too much at stake.

“I’m sorry if her presence upsets you,” he said sincerely and I believed him. “I don’t agree with her being here.”

“Then why is she?” I snapped and then caught myself before I could say anymore.

Patrick winced. “I deserve your ire for certain, but I did try to have her removed. I was overruled.”

I gaped at him. “You’re the leader of Alban, the head of the Crimson Fold, and you were overruled? How does that even happen?”

Patrick sighed and then moved to sit next to me but paused; he seemed to be waiting for my permission which I reluctantly gave to him with a nod. Sitting down, he leaned forward so his forearms lay against the top of his thighs. “I might be the leader but I do have to answer to the other members. I don’t have as much power as the people might believe.”

“Then what’s the point?” I asked without thinking. “Are you just a figurehead? A pretty face to put before the people to make them less likely to revolt against your deeds?”

Patrick turned his head toward me and smirked. “A pretty face, huh? I’ve never been called that.”

I ducked my head in embarrassment. I hadn’t meant to let his looks affect me so. Or to let on how I felt. Patrick Blordril was a mystery for sure. One I wished to figure out but not at the expense of my life. And I had little doubt Zara would take it if she could.

“Anyway,” Patrick continued, bypassing my little comment. “When something like what happened with Zara occurs, we have to vote on what to do. I was one of the ones pushing for her removal. Especially, after this.” He reached up and touched the side of my face where the scratches had scabbed over, but even Asher’s talented hands couldn’t completely them cover up. “But too many of the others thought she was good for the audience. To see that even one of their own could turn on them in the right situation.”

“So Marsha was right.”

Patrick’s brows raised at my comment. “Marsha? He’s the boy who sat here before, correct?”

I nodded wishing I hadn’t said anything. I didn’t want Patrick to go out of his way to make sure Marsha was sent home. Or worse.

“Do you like this boy? Marsha?” he asked suddenly.

My mouth dropped open and I struggled to find an answer. “He’s my friend, so of course I like him.”

Patrick gave me a look. “You know that’s not what I meant. Do you care for him in a romantic manner?”

I turned my eyes away from him and stared up at the sky. I didn’t want to lie, but also wasn’t sure how to answer him. I’d never really thought of Marsha that way until now.

“I could have,” I said after a moment.

“What’s stopping you?” He shifted closer to my side pushing my large skirt into my thighs. “You could be with him now. No one is stopping you.”

“But aren’t they?” I half laughed and the sound was not pleasant.

“If you could go home right now, would you?”

“Home is a relative question,” I argued. “Back to the Inner Circle where I’m the strange girl who dresses funny and doesn’t think like they do? Or back to the Glade where I’m the overseer's daughter who can’t be trusted to be their friend but I can stand by and watch them starve. Which one would you prefer me to go back to?”

“You can fix it.”

Patrick’s words startled me, almost giving me whiplash as I did a double take. Asher had practically said the same thing. I could fix it. All the wrong going on in Alban. I could make it better, make the Fold see the way things were set up was wrong, and here the very leader of them all sat saying the same thing.

“The system is broken. You and I both know this,” Patrick explained. “Hell, even the other members of the Fold are aware of it, but it doesn’t benefit them to fix it. Those who make the food and do the hard labor shouldn’t be the ones who starve in the streets while those close to the Core throw up what they eat from overindulgence.” The only thing that allowed me to believe his words was the utter disgust on his face.

“And I can fix this?” I asked, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

“Yes,” he said, a bit excited as he grabbed my hands in his. “You could make all the difference. I knew the moment you stepped foot in the first impressions. You were the change we need.”

I stared down at our hands, glad to have the gloves on to hide way my fingers were sweating. “Why can’t you do it?”

“What?” He frowned at me.

“Why can’t you tell them to change it? Why does it have to be? A know-nothing girl from the Glade.” I shook my head and tried to take my hands back. “You’re their leader, they should listen to you more than me.”

“But I’m not you. It’s hard to change a lifetime of thinking overnight. If I spoke up they would revolt against me.” Patrick held fast to my hands, drawing me closer until our faces were inches apart. His voice lowered as he spoke. “If I had you by my side, you could put those thoughts into their heads. At first, they would be tossed to the side as being new to our ways but soon they will come to believe it too.”

“How do you know?” I asked, mesmerized by the determination in his pale eyes.

“Because I have faith...in you,” he murmured, stroking the side of my face. “All you have to do is say yes.”

Before I knew what was happening, or could even block it, his mouth descended onto mine. It was the first kiss I’d ever experience and I didn’t know how to react. At first, I sat frozen in place and then curiosity came over me. I pressed back returning his kiss.

We stayed that way for a moment, his warm hand caressing the side of my face our lips locked. It wasn’t unpleasant but I didn’t feel a sudden rush of feeling like some girls talked about. I didn’t want to marry this man or throw my whole life away. But I could sit there and let the leader of Alban kiss me for a few more moments.

Those moments were over too soon when a clock somewhere struck the hour. I jerked away from him and a sharp pain hit my lower lip. I reached up to touch it and blood came away. A growl sounded and it took me a second before I realized it had come from Patrick.

My gaze locked onto him and what I saw caused me to jump to my feet. Brow furrowed he had an intense look in his eyes, eyes that had changed from a lovely blue to a bright red. My heart pounded and I took several steps back.

The movement caused Patrick to seem to remember himself and his eyes changed back. He stood to his feet, a hand reached out to me, but I shook my head and stepped out of his reach.

“Please, Clara. Let me explain.” His pleas were too late because I’d already turned on my heels and ran back to the palace.