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I smoothed out my tunic and finally headed down the hall.
Aster’s violet waves bounded into Lina’s room just as I rounded the corner.
Excited voices floated down the hallway to me, and the corners of my lips tugged at Aster’s infectious enthusiasm for life. Until I made sense of the words, and stopped dead in my tracks.
Because I had been wrong before, when I thought maybe this time, there was reason to hope.
I turned around, walking away from Lina’s room, away from whatever ridiculous notions I had of spending my life with her.
49
Lina
Somewhere in the back of my sleepy mind, I expected to wake to the sound of Edrich’s gruff morning voice, the one that warmed every part of me. Instead, it was Aster’s bright tones that pulled me from sleep.
“Good morning, future sister-in-law!” she sang, just before the door clanged shut behind her. “I heard about Lark’s proposal, in detail.”
I shot her a wry look, still reeling with the way the bed was completely cold and empty aside from me. Where did Edrich go?Does he regret last night, already?Did he decide to leave early, or realize it was a mistake to allow ourselves to be so close if it was only going to end?
Does that mean there’s no chance of him staying?
“All right, fine, I know you only said you’d think about it. And I’m sure you’ll have to think pretty seriously, what with that sexy hunk of man-meat down the hall.” She waggled her eyebrows, sinking onto the mattress next to me. “But I support you either way,” Aster summed up, cheerfully.
Before I could say anything, she bounced up. “Oh, speaking of your companions, the other one found his way here this morning. He says he’s your uncle, though I can’t say I see a family resemblance…” she trailed off.
“Uncle Stiltskin is here?” I shot up, already looking for some clothes to throw on.
“Relax, Lina. You have time to eat and get dressed. He said he’s getting washed up, and then I’ll take you to meet him in the library.”
I nodded mutely, my mind churning. Talking to Edrich would have to wait, I supposed, ignoring the sick, sinking feeling that gave me. Uncle was back, and he owed me an explanation.
50
Edrich
Ifound myself back on the landing pad where Pepper had first brought me to this trolls-forsaken place.
Sister-in-law. Proposal.
All I could see was red.
Lina is going to marry the prince … she’s going to marry the prince and … and I’m leaving.
Clenching my fists, I paced the landing pad, anger and humiliation rolling off of me in waves. My skin didn’t need to change colors for the people around me to know how I was feeling. They all gave me a wide berth to stew in my miserable thoughts.
“You’re leaving tomorrow.”Her voice came back to me in an entirely new light. I had thought she was sad, maybe even tempted to ask me to stay. But in the cold light of day I saw it for what it was… a goodbye.
Son of a centaur.
I should have known better than to hope.
Unable to stand my own thoughts any longer, I took a chance and whistled for Pepper. If she was nearby, maybe I would just go ahead and leave this place.
Pepper’s cry alerted me to her presence just before she came plummeting toward me with a speed that was a little terrifying at my current size. She landed gracefully, though, immediately lowering her head for me to stroke her beak.
Already, it was easier to breathe. I had always preferred the outside air and the company of animals to people, the notable exception being…No.I refused to think about her right now. Not when she was probably thinking about her prince and the perfect future they would have together here.
Aster’s words came back to mind, about why she had asked me to stay. I wondered if I was still honor-bound to even go to the ball, knowing that she didn’t care for her own sake.
