Yes.
“You can make this up to me, Dimitri. I will forgive you for everything,” I say, trying to draw his attention back. “Just give me the stone and let me go.”
It doesn’t matter what I say—Dimitri no longer hears me. His attention is solely on Galinor.
“Who are you?” he demands. “You might think you love Anwen, but I loved her first. When we parted, my heart shattered. It was the worst mistake I’ve made in my life, and I have paid for it every day since.”
Galinor doesn’t answer. He simply stares at Dimitri, his cool blue gaze unwavering.
Suddenly, Dimitri’s face falls. “Don’t take her from me,” he begs before he turns back to me. “Don’t leave me. Anwen—I love you.”
For a fraction of a heartbeat, only the tiniest sliver of time, I hesitate. Not because I love Dimitri, not even because I want him to love me…but because it stings so badly to know I was such a gullible fool.
But I was a fool, and Dimitri didn’t love me then and he certainly doesn’t love me now.
More, I don’t want him. My heart belongs to someone else.
Unfortunately, Galinor saw me pause. He studies me intently, suddenly looking unsure.
“Galinor, no,” I whisper, shaking my head.
Moments after I say the prince’s name, there’s a small chorus of whispers in the crowd.
“Galinor?” someone calls out. “The prince who cheated in the marriage tournament?”
Laughter and jeers erupt from the crowd. Galinor’s jaw hardens, and all the color drains from his face.
“I heard he paid an archer to win the events for him!” a man hollers.
A woman laughs. “I heard theprincesspaid the archer to win the tournament for him.” She steps forward, raking her eyes over Galinor. “Not that I can blame her.”
“You want this man?” Dimitri says to me. There is so much disgust in his voice, I think I may slap him.
“They’re right,” Galinor says to me, his voice low. “And this man—he loves you, Anwen.”
I grab his arm. “They’re not, and he doesn’t.”
Galinor takes my hands. Somehow, I block out theroar around us. He leans close, his eyes locked on mine. “This is what you want—what you wanted from the beginning. You can be with him. Don’t settle for me.”
My eyes sting, but I refuse to cry. “Stop.”
The prince yanks me into his arms, crushing me against his chest in a painful goodbye. “You’ll be happy,” he whispers into my ear, and then he steps back, turning to Dimitri. “Her father is cursed. You will give the stone back so she may take it to him.”
It’s not a request.
“I didn’t know.” A shadow crosses Dimitri’s face. “Of course I will.”
Galinor nods, obviously unable to hear the lie in Dimitri’s words.
“Galinor, no!” I say, irritated this time.
“You can have everything, and your father will get his stone back.” He searches my eyes, trying to make me understand. “I’m not going to stand in your way.”
“I won’t be happy without you.”
“You don’t want me,” he says wearily, gesturing to the crowd as if they’ve already proven his point. “Goodbye, Anwen.”
Dimitri wraps his arms around me so I won’t dart after Galinor.
