Jackpot.
By this point, I was laughing maniacally. Finlay’s cheeks were a little red, like he was embarrassed. He put an arm around my hips and helped me down from the coffee table. “I think you’ve had a little too much to drink.”
The faces blended together in the crowd as Kiara and Odette broke into my vision. “Emma, it’s time to go home.” I felt Kiara grasp my wrist. “You’ve had too much.”
A sensation of floating came over me as the girls pulled me out of the party. “Take care of her, will you?” I heard Finlay cry out. A giggle passed through my lips.
The cool night air made me feel like I was jumping into an icy pool, and I regret I hadn’t brought a jacket. Kiara’s heels clicked on the cobblestone as she said, “What’s gotten into you? You went too far.”
“Did you see the look on Ethan’s face, though?” Odette gushed. “Total payback!”
Kiara smirked, just a little, and a warm glow settled around me. Vengeance was sweet. Whatever I’d done tonight, it was totally worth it.
Chapter Seven
Ethan
My phone pinged with a news alert late in the afternoon. My eyes shot open— I’d been asleep all day, skipping all my classes and preferring to stay in my dorm with the shades drawn. I’d been caught in a fitful slumber. Though hours had gone by, I’d gained no rest, and felt just as exhausted as I had when I’d lain down that morning.
Anxiety churned in my gut, making me believe Elijah had passed another sick decree to lead us all down the path to hell. The headline I read was even worse.Royal Betrayal? Did Emmaline Sosna Leave Her Prince Charming for Hot Scottish Beau?
There was a picture with the news alert that showed Emma and Finlay’s lips locked together, kissing for all of Malovia’s entertainment. It made me nauseous to look at.
I groaned and rolled the other way, tossing my phone to the floor. That party the other night couldn’t have been more disastrous. When I saw that…roguerubbing on my mate, my wolf nearly lost it. I had to maintain every inch of self-control in my body to avoid bursting into wolven form and ripping his throat out.
At first, I thought the demon would react to my rage and attempt to take over, but all the leshane did was revel in glee. It was clear. The leshane wouldn’t interfere when Emma and I were having conflict, because every fight we had drove us further away from our bond… and me deeper into his clutches.
Then… gods… she’d taken off her underwear and thrown it to the room. In public, for Luka’s sake. Getting her thong to the face was like her delivering a slap. I couldn’t believe she’d gone that far.
And yet, there was an unexpected bonus she didn’t see— I got to keep her panties.
That fact was soured by the notion that somewhere, some other man had her bra.
Gods, Emma was driving me nuts. I couldn’t decide if she was dating Finlay to piss me off, or if she really liked him.
It was the latter that scared the hell out of me.
Your mate’s a whore, the leshane hissed.She’s not fit to serve you. Do you see that now?
I sneered and pushed him away, delivering a telepathic punch to the gut. The leshane cringed and drew back. Whoever he was, nobody talked about Emma like that. No matter what she’d done.
I was protective, like all shifters were. But I wasn’t controlling, and if Emma wanted to move on and find someone else, I wouldn’t stop her. I wanted her to be happy. Even if I was devastated.
Maybe it was for the best. Someone else would be there to take care of her after I was gone.
With a bleary look at the clock, I realized I had to get up. I’d gotten an invite to attend some pompous royal party at the palace. It was my intention to invade that party and ask high-borns about the Alicorn Court.
I got dressed in formal attire, though it felt even more imperious than it usually did, and walked through campus to find my carriage. I passed the cafeteria without eating anything, knowing it wouldn’t do any good. Like a cancer, the demon was killing me from the inside out. No matter how much food I ate, my appetite was never satisfied. No matter how much I slept, I gained no rest.
Entering the royal palace felt like twisting a knife between my ribs. I’d lived here my entire life, and I’d been banished with no more than an afterthought once Elijah moved in. They’d changed the flags in the castle to bear Elijah’s symbol— a black background with a red coat of arms in the middle— and though the decorations remained mostly intact, there was a melancholy amongst the servants that hadn’t been there when I’d left.
He hardly could be treating them well. Elijah considered “the help” beneath him.
The party was held in one of the grand parlor rooms off the main entryway. Elijah and Gabby were there, greeting guests at the doorway. Elijah had on the king’s hussar’s uniform and the crown that I had known as my father’s atop his head. Gabby was wearing a similar queen’s crown, and a silver dress that reminded me of iron.
They really didn’t need to wear the crowns everywhere. They were supposed to be for special occasions only, though I was certain Gabby and Elijah never took theirs off.
Gabby plastered on a fake smile that looked more like a gloating smirk. Elijah inclined his head when I came near. “It’s nice to see you accepted my invite, cousin.”
