Page 43 of Heart of the Villain

Naive.

“I just don’t want to see you get hurt.” Marlena couldn’t tell her about her alliances. Not yet. There was still too much she needed to do, but she held out hope that when it all crumbled, her sister would pick her. Marlena would finally let her in on the secrets she kept… but not yet, not when their parents were still breathing down her neck, waiting for their chance to snatch her up. “And he’s going to hurt you. His father has said so himself. He’ll get bored⁠—”

Vega jumped off the bed, a grumble leaving her chest that sounded like a mad jungle cat. “Yeah, yeah, he’ll get bored of me. That’s what they all say! That’s what everyone, every single person, is saying. You don’t think I’ve heard the whispers when we’re together? Heard the things his own parents have said when they don’t think I can hear them?” She pointed at her chest. “I’m not the right one.” Vega started listing off all the hurtful things she’d heard. “Marlena would bring more opportunities to bridge the gap between territories. What does the little sister have to offer? The other Caelum girl is prettier.” Vega snatched a sweater off the back of a chair and stomped to the door. “Do you think I don’t know that no one wants us together? That everyone is aware that I was promised to someone well before I got the chance to make that decision for myself? That I’m hurting my best friend in the process of this? All because I fell in love… I know you think my problems are trivial compared to what you deal with, but they’re still my problems, my worries.”

Vega opened the door to her room, ready to shut Marlena out. “I want to see a world where the Vegas and Bridgers can fall in love without anyone questioning if they’re worthy of each other.”

The door shut, leaving Marlena alone.

The fear of being alone was once something of the past, but the loneliness was sinking back in with bigger fangs this time.

You’re always going to be alone.

Part of Marlena’s deal was that she took Ivelle under her wing, showing her what being a proper lady was all about—a proper lady who could be married off to someone with money or an impressive ability—in the hope Ivelle could become a meek little housewife… the same they hoped for Vega.

Marlena hadn’t seen Vega since she’d stormed out of her room. Bridger and Khort were at the weekly meeting, and they hadn’t acted any different than they normally would have with Marlena—maybe Vega had stormed off to cool down.

Her fingers were crossed this would all blow over; no need to fix what wasn’t broken.

Marlena exited the meeting room as soon as it was over, followed by Bridger and Khort. Ivelle sat slumped in a chair in the waiting area, the most childish pout creasing her usually pretty face. “You’ve got to be sick of acting this way.” Marlena crossed her arms, popping a hip.

Ivelle, as to be expected, stood up and stomped off down the hall like a fucking toddler.

Marlena sighed, throwing her head back to stare at the ceiling while she took another deep breath before righting herself and following the boys down the hallway.

“She needs a tranquilizer,” Bridger joked, watching Ivelle disappear from sight. “Khort, got anything back home that’ll calm her down?”

Khort’s laugh was sarcastic, but it was nice to see him opening up to Bridger a little more lately—it wasn’t his fault he’d won Vega’s heart. Khort turned and walked backwards because he knew the halls of the Aeris home like they were his own. “You staying here tonight?” he asked Marlena. “Since Bridger is here, we figured we’d get some late-night training in.”

“No, I think it’s time I get Ivelle home before she blows this whole place up with her disdain.”

Bridger paused at the stairs. “What’s her problem?” He rested his hand on the banister.

Marlena waved off the question. “Everything is her problem.”

The sound of footsteps echoed up the staircase, and before she saw them, she knew who it would be.

Vega and Arlet met them at the top, and Marlena’s eyes only stayed on her sister for a moment before they caught Arlet’s. Vega was too busy giving Bridger a hello kiss, and Khort was too busy pretending he wasn’t crawling out of his skin, to notice the smile Arlet saved just for Marlena.

She sees me.

They were still meeting in private when they could, but it had been almost a week and Marlena was craving her touch.

“Headed out?” Vega asked, not doing a great job hiding her aggravation.

Bridger honed in on it immediately, his eyes bouncing between the sisters. He didn’t say anything, but he was watching, waiting for Marlena’s response.

“Yes” was all Marlena could muster up. If Vega wanted to tell her friends they were fighting, she could do it herself. Marlena had other things to worry about.

Arlet leaned against the banister, a few steps down. Marlena stood at the railing, able to see her clearly. “Why don’t you stay?”

Fuck.

Marlena had to look away. Arlet had those please fuck me eyes and there was no way she could say no if she kept staring at her like that. “Not tonight.” She squeezed past Bridger and Vega at the top step. “Babysitting my bratty cousin is a full-time job, apparently.”

The stairwell led to the kitchen, allowing access to the help when the meeting room turned into a dining room during late-night councils.

Marlena might have intentionally walked a little closer than she needed to Arlet, their hands brushing as Marlena continued to descend the stairs.