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“How else would you describe the disgusting behavior that you exhibited with Luc? God, I cannot even bear to speak his name.” He shook his head, letting out a sigh. “I should have known that this would end up being a disaster. I actually believed that you might be able to shape up and become a halfway decent princess, one more like your mother was. I had this vision of you coming here, and realizing that your destiny lay in this nation, in this palace. I imagined that the sheer weight of this world would cause something to change in you. I imagined that you would take it seriously, that you would be a princess your mother would be proud of.”
He scoffed, shaking his head.
“Instead, you embarrassed me at every turn, going behind my back and screwing my right-hand man. You should be ashamed.”
It was all I could take.
“Who the hell do you think you are?”
My father cocked his head to the side, as if he’d heard me wrong.
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me. Who the hell do you think you are?”
He laughed. “I am your father. And your king.”
“Well you’re pretty shitty at both roles.”
His expression flattened. I could tell he hadn’t been expecting a comment like that.
“I’ve had enough. Ever since I showed up here you’ve been comparing me to a fictional daughter that’s only existed in your head. I’ve never had a chance to live up to that, and everything I do that isn’t what this pretend, perfect little princess does only makes you more upset with me.”
He said nothing, and I decided to press my attack. The rain began outside, coming down so loudly that it drowned out the crackle of the fire.
“Luc was right. You’ve had all this time to get to know me, to find out who yourrealdaughter is. But you chose instead to keep trying to cram me into this stupid little mold. I thought I was going to come here and get to know you, to learn more about my mother, my roots. But instead, I learned just what kind of man you are.”
I narrowed my eyes.
“And most importantly, I learned how grateful I am that Mom took me and ran.”
My father’s expression fell. He said nothing, his mouth dropping open but no words coming out.
“I had always wondered what could make a woman run like that, leave her old life behind. You know, sometimes I thought that maybe Mom had made a selfish decision. After all, what kind of woman took her daughter away from her father, from whatever place she’d come from? Now I get it. Now, I know the truth. You wereluckythat all she did was run.”
I raised my finger to him. “I don’t owe you anything. No one does. Did it ever occur to you that maybe, instead of trying to control everyone around you, you might try understanding them, caring for them? That’s what Luc did.”
“Do not speak his name.”
“I’ll speak whatever I want. I love him, and you can either accept that, or throw him and me away and wallow in your little study all alone, drinking your wine and wondering why the hell you don’t have anybody.”
He said nothing, anger once more on his face. I could tell that being spoken to like that was something he wasn’t used to.
“You know, I might be offended or hurt by your lack of care if it wasn’t so damn predictable. I’ll start packing my things. I refuse to stay here a second longer.”
Chapter 44
Luc
“Alright, damn!”
The two guards, both of them hired help for the night, shoved me out of the front palace doors.
“Is there a reason you two are handling me like this?”
“King’s orders,” said one of them. “Told us to have you packing no more than an hour later.”
I checked my watch. Sure enough, it’d been exactly one hour since Alaric had given his order.
