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“I mean, it was Kage who made the proposal. Well, I mean his grandmother did the actual proposing, but it doesn’t really involve her.”
“It doesn’t?”
“I mean, it does,” I said hastily. “But not directly. That would be really weird. Can you imagine?”
“No, Florence,” Medra replied. “I can’t. Because you’re dancing around what really happened. Just tell me.”
I took a deep breath and said the words as quickly as possible. “I’mbetrothedtoKage.”
“You’re what?” Medra looked exasperated. “Say it again more slowly, less mumbly.”
I bit my lip, hesitating. “I’m betrothed. To Kage.”
There was a stunned silence. Medra sat down slowly on my bed, across from where I stood. “You move back in here. You’re here for less than an hour. I let you go off with Kage to meet his grandmother. And now you’re … betrothed?” She put her head in her hands and moaned. “Florence, your mother is going to kill you. Or me. Or both of us.”
“Is she?” I tilted my head. “Maybe she’ll just be happy I can’t be soul-bound.”
Medra’s head jerked up. “What?”
“When were you going to tell me?” I asked quietly. “You already knew, didn’t you?”
“Yes,” she whispered. “I’m sorry. You’ve been so afraid, I didn’t want to scare you more. Especially when you’d finally come back.”
I nodded. “That makes sense.”
“But I was going to tell you, probably as soon as tomorrow. I had to. Especially after Hassan told Regan and Viktor. He knows now.”
“Lady Avari might be a match for Viktor,” I said thoughtfully.
“Maybe. She’s certainly an imposing woman. She impressed me during the Tribunal.” Medra sighed.“How do you really feel about this?”
I chewed my bottom lip. “Nyxaris says it won’t be forever. He has a plan.”
Medra raised one dark red brow. “Oh really?”
“Yes, but he won’t share it. He’ll only say that Viktor’s more complicated than he looks.”
“Not precisely encouraging,” Medra said dryly.
When the time comes, I will unmake him. Piece by piece, Nyxaris growled.
I shifted on the bed. “Nyxaris says he’ll destroy Viktor. Eventually.”
“Eventually,” Medra echoed. “And in the meantime we’re just going to have another ball and pretend everything’s fine while you’re what—fake engaged to Kage fucking Tanaka?”
“Pretend, yes. Engaged, also yes.”
“Do you … feel anything for him? Is it possible this could just … work out somehow?”
In my mind, Nyxaris had gone very silent—and yet, I knew he was still there, waiting for my answer. “He’s … very handsome. He’s always been kind to me. He’s noble. Wealthy. Powerful,” I listed obediently. “But those things have never been important to me before. I don’t even know if he reads books.”
Medra snickered. “I’m sure he knows how to read.”
“But does he read as homework, for pleasure, or because he craves knowledge?” I threw up my hands. “I don’t really know him at all, do I? So do I feel something? No, I don’t think I feel anything. I don’t think Kage feels anything for me either. I don’t think he wants this, he’s just … doing his duty.”
“This is not what I want for you,” Medra said softly. “Someone who will just do their duty. You deserve so much more than that.” She lay back on the bed. “I can’t fucking believe this is happening again. Another betrothal to another highblood—one neither of us wants.”
“Well, things turned out all right for you and Blake,” I pointed out.
