I opened my mouth to say yes but realized that answer was coming from my perspective ofnow. Of what it was like to have Ellery and to actuallyloveanother.
Back then, I’d never considered the possibility of loving and being loved by another. I’d never believed I could fall in love or entertained the notion someone could loveme.
It simply wasn’t something I’d considered. Most of my life had revolved around suffering and death. I didn’t know anything else until Ellery.
Now I knew what love truly was, and I’d die before ever turning to another, but back then, the most love I’d known was my mother until I was six and Leo’s friendship. He’d been more like a father to me than my own.
The idea of being married to a woman I didn’t love for an eternity wouldn’t have made me happy, but would I have said no?
CHAPTER SEVENTY-NINE
Ryker
“I don’t know,”I admitted. “I wouldn’t have wanted to marry her, but I’m not sure I could have said no to Leo.”
She clasped my cheek with her palm and leaned forward to rest her head against my chest. I clasped her to me and kissed the top of her head.
“But your father said no for you,” she murmured.
“He did.”
“I can’t believe Leo thought he might agree to let you marry her.”
“Neither can I, but Leo always liked to believe the best in everyone, even my asshole of a father. That was his biggest weakness.”
She kissed me before lifting her head. “Why did your father bring her to the earl’s party? Why would he take such a risk?”
“Because he could, and it amused him.”
“But if Ivan discovers who she really is, he’ll kill herandyour father.”
“Ivan’s too self-centered to see the truth. I spent a lot of time with Leo and considered him my best friend; I saw the truth about who she was in her eyes. I doubt anyone else would.”
“Ivan was his brother.”
“And they hated each other. Ivan isn’t going to look for any bastard children, and he especially isn’t looking for them to be with my father.”
“Is your father really in love with her?”
“Of course not.”
“But they’re going to marry. That’s… I… I’m not sure what to say.”
“My father can fake love if it helps him get what he wants. That’s how he got my mother.”
“Do you think he’ll actually marry her?”
I rested my head against the wall behind me as I contemplated her question. “If it helps him get the throne, I think he’ll do anything, and he believes she can help him.”
She gawked at me. “Isthatwhat he’s trying to do, claim the throne?”
“If he marries Brianna, he’ll have a stronger claim to the throne than Ivan. Even if she’s a half blood, sheisLeo’s daughter and the rightful ruler. Many in this realm wouldn’t want to see her running Tempest, but if she has a powerful, full-blooded amsirah like my father at her side, things might be different. He might get more support than Ivan from the other nobles.”
“He’d be a worse king than Ivan.”
“He would, but I’ll never let that happen.”
“Would he really marry a woman and stay with her forever just to become king?”
