Chapter 20

“You don’t really think you are a burden to me, do you?” asked Jarethtenderly.

Clara Turned her head quickly to Ansel.

“I don’t know, maybe. I feel like I was the little sister forced on you when you were almost a man. Then you felt you had to take care of me after your father died.”

Clarapaused and closed her eyes. She knew she shouldn’t say what she was thinking, but she couldn’t stop herself.

“Then last spring, when, well you know, at the festival, I was afraid I ruined things between us forever,” said Clarasadly. “I never meant to put you in that position.”

Jareth Was silent as he turned his eyes from Claraand looked at the fire. Claracould feel her face go warm, and she knew her cheeks were red. She felt like such a fool.

“See, I knew it. I knew that is why you stopped coming to see me. I knew that’s why you were gone for so long.”

“Griffa,” started Ansel, but she interrupted him.

“Oh, if I could just go back and stop myself from drinking too much, or thinking that you could ev