She wasn’t just a friend—she had been my anchor, the steady hand that had guided me when my world tilted. She had always been there, her presence soothing the unspoken battles between me and Tallon, her quiet words tempering our sharpest edges.
The breath I took caught in my throat, jagged and sharp, as the realization hit with the force of a blade. She hadn’t been mending the rift or pulling me closer to him. She’d been standing at his side, her loyalty already spoken for.
Always close, a shadow at his heels, smoothing over his flaws, making them seem smaller than they were. Her smiles had never been meant for me; they’d been his to claim, each one a quiet offering. He was her storm, her sun, her center.
And all this time, I had been nothing more than a blind fool, circling the edges of a life that had never truly belonged to me.
The realization twisted my gut, bile rising as the image of them together seared itself into my mind. My breaths came shallow and quick, my grip tightening on my skirts as I hurried through the halls, desperate to outrun the sickening thoughts clawing at my sanity.
Behind me, Lynx let out a soft grunt, his long strides nearly breaking into a jog to match my frantic pace. Each hurried step seemed to draw more attention, servants and nobles pausing in their tasks to watch as we rushed by.
I didn’t care.
I spun down another corridor, barely catching myself on the wall, before charging past two guards and into Kallias’ study.
His cornflower blue eyes snapped up to meet mine, his dark brows furrowing in surprise. Greaves stiffened, but made no move, realizing I was no threat.
I strode into the room, chin lifted high, despite the sting of a tear that threatened to fall and the sharpness in my chest.
“Out.” Kallias’ voice was sharp, and Lynx withdrew without a word.
He pushed himself to his feet, his gaze narrowing as he studied me, as if trying to peel back the layers of my distress.
My body trembled. My heart pounded, urging me to close the distance, but my mind warned me I shouldn’t be here.
“Gods, Nienna—what happened?” His fist clenched, his eyes scanning me, seeking the cause of my pain.
“Tallon,” I choked, struggling to hold back the flood of emotions, “in the stables.”
The words barely left my throat before a tear slipped down my cheek. I refused to carry this anymore. Each passing day, I felt myself withering inside, suffocating under my duty. Born a princess, with the heart of a commoner. I was expected to do a duty that would kill me.
“Greaves.”
Kallias crossed the room in a single stride, wrapping me in his arms. The cold bite of gold chains pressed against my cheek as he pulled me against his chest.
“Kal–”
“Go!” The command rang out with the authority of a king—not a friend.
The door slammed shut behind him.
“Did he hurt you?” Raw emotion drenched every word—concern, anger, a promise of vengeance.
“Fyrn…” The name tasted like ash on my tongue. My lips twisted into a bitter smile, and I laughed—a hollow, jagged sound that scraped my throat. “I’m so stupid.”
The weight of my own words pressed against me. I should have seen it. The stolen glances, the way her smile softened when he was near, the moments they disappeared together. I’d been too blind, too desperate for someone to trust, for a friend.
“She never cared about me,” I muttered, my voice trembling. “She only ever wanted him.”
Kallias stiffened, his hands faltering on my arms. “Tallon and Fyrn?” His tone was quiet, measured, but something sharp lurked beneath the surface. He eased back, his grip loosening enough to meet my gaze, his expression carefully unreadable. His eyes searched mine, as if trying to piece together the tangled web of betrayal I just revealed.
I scoffed, swiping at the fresh tear tracks on my cheeks. What she had done was unforgivable, but in this moment, I almost felt she wasn’t worth my sorrow. “Rutting like animals in the stables.”
Kallias sucked in a sharp breath, his gaze flickering between mine. The muscle under his left eye twitched in irritation, his lips formed a tight line.
“Men and their mistresses.” I tried to laugh, but the sound broke, raw and bitter.
His arms remained steady around me, though I felt his focus shift, as if he were dissecting my pain. The heat of his anger pressed against the edges of his concern. We both understood what Tallon’s disdain for me meant—that he wouldn’t think twice about taking someone else to his bed.
