“Why did you tell me?”he asks, his voice dangerously low.
“Because I want her to enjoy this holiday.”The last one shewillever get.
His eyes burn bright with fury.“You could’ve just asked me to have sex with her.You could’vesent me there as a duty to a princess, and I would’ve said yes.”Hetakesa step towards me.My fingers tighten on my blade.Grabbing my tunic, he yanksmeclose.“So whydid you justtell me she likes me?Why!”
My heart pounds, but Ikeephis gaze without flinching.I’lldo anything for her.She’smy greatest joy in life and deservesall the happiness this fucked-up worldcangive her.“So you’llcherish her.”
His mouth dropsopen asif hecan’tunderstand the words I uttered.Shoving me away from him, he stormsoff.“I would have anyway.”
“I could have hadyearswith her,” Jace accuses as he grabs the knife off the blood-splattered floor, his eyes wild,his breathing strained.“And instead, because of you, I only had one night.”
My gaze locks on to the blade that’s swinging agitatedly in his hand.But it’s not my life I’m worried about.When Aurelia died, he disappeared for a long time.I don’t know if he became suicidal, but I’ve seen the pain he’s carried since.I never knew how much he cared for her.I never –He was her bodyguard.A commoner.But I should’ve seen the signs.
“I’m so–”
The blade flies through the air, landing right between my legs.It pierces through the leather of my trousers, and the pain shooting up my ballscatches me off guard.I glance down, terrified of seeing what I’m about to see but knowing I deserve nothing less.
But it’s just a knick.I wiggle back, breathe shakily when my trousers tear but my ball sack doesn’t.By the time I look up again though, Jace is gone, and the door to my private gymis slammingshut.
For the first time innearlytwo decades,I’m truly on my own.His absence bothersme a lot more than I thought it wouldgiven all the times I’ve tried to shake him.
Slowly, I climb to my feet.Thereisa healing wand in the cabinet on my right, but I ignore it on my way to the punching bag.Throwing fist after fist into its cloth, I beat my knuckles raw.
“I want you to be king, Dickie.”
I slam my hand into the bag.Thump.
“I can’t be the ruler our people need me to be.”
Thump.Thump.
“But you have to promise me, whenRaza’sready for peace, you’ll push for it.”
Twisting my hips, I throw all my energy into each blow.Pain eruptseverywhere, but Ikeepgoing.
Ikeepgoing untilthesweet voiceof my baby sisterisdrowned out by the high pitch of Arienna’s.
“You’re a monster.”
Thump.Thump.
“He was my fiance…”
Thump.Thump.Thump.
“Will you show him mercy?”
Thump!
“Not a monster like you.”
Thump!Thump!Crack!
Thirty-One
Never step into a fairy ring lightly.
There can only ever be one survivor.-KingRichard
