“What did you stop?”
My eyes remain fixed on the canopied ceiling as I heave a sigh.
“What did you stop?” he presses. “Did something happen between you two?”
I snap my gaze to him sharply.
“Nothing happened, alright? Nothing happened between us,” I insist.
He huffs a laugh, pushing off the bedpost. “Oh, really? You were all but groping each other in the water today. It was sickening.”
My cheeks flush with embarrassment.
“What do you want me to say, Zadyn?” I jolt upright, narrowing my eyes at him as he paces around the room. “That we’re attracted to each other? We are. Sue me.”
“Obviously.” He whirls toward me, his face addled with disgust. “That’s the problem. You’re not fooling anyone. Everyone can see youpiningfor him.”
“I do notpinefor him!” I bark, planting my feet. “And this is none of your concern. Why do you even care?”
“How can you evenaskthat? Youknowwhy. I don’t want to see you get hurt!”
“I’m not going to get hurt. I’m fine.”
“You are playing a very dangerous game.” He shakes his head. “With a lot of hearts.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“Sorscha loves him. And if you don’t think he’s still pouring his honey in her ear to secure his spot as king consort, you aredreaming,” he hisses, his caramel hair falling into his eyes. My anger flares at his accusation.
“He doesn’t care about being king!”
“And you think he cares for you? He doesn’t. You’re just an itch he wants to scratch before settling in with a princess.”
“Wow,” I jerk back, stunned, staring at him open-mouthed.
“Just tell me you’re not actually naïve enough to fall for him,” he fumes, his brown eyes flashing.
I already have.
“I told you. Nothing. Happened?—”
“Yet.”
A beat passes as we stare each other down. He takes a tentative step forward and lifts his hand, but then drops it, conflicted.
His voice is pained as he shakes his head and murmurs, “You’re going to break your own heart. I thought you were smarter than this.”
For some reason, that last comment makes me flinch.
I slide off the bed and stand nearly chest-to-chest with him. He peers down at me.
“Let me make one thing very clear, Zadyn. I know you feel entitled to me because of this bond, but I am not yours. I don’t care if you’re jealous. I don’t care if you think you know what’s best for me. I’m not your little girlfriend who you can just boss around and control. You do not own me. You do not get to dictate who I love or how I love or anything else when it comes to my life.”
The quiet words spread through the room like venom, hitting their mark. Zadyn’s face drains of color.
I want to take back every word I just said, every low-blow sucker punch. I went too far.
“I’m sorry, that was cruel,” I murmur.
