Luna jumped, whipping around to face her sister, her mouth open, but no excuse came to mind: They’d been caught in a compromising position, there was no explaining it away.
Emily stormed into the room, her narrowed eyes pinning Clyde in place. “I warned you,” she growled, her voice a low, feral snarl—like a bear poised to tear into its prey.
“I didn’t know you were—” Clyde started, voice faltering.
“Here?” Emily cut him off, her voice like a blade. “In my own home? Yeah, I figured as much.”
Who did Emily think she was, barging in like this? They never entered each other’s rooms uninvited. “Why areyouhere?” Luna asked, her voice edged with irritation.
“The better question is: Why is he?” Emily rolled her shoulders back, her small stature commanding enough to make mountains bow. She glared at Clyde with such hatred Luna was surprised he didn’t spontaneously combust. “You slimy bastard. Where’s your damn honour?” Emily hissed, spitting each word like venom. “You’re supposed to protect her.” She charged at him, waving her index finger in front of his face. “I knew something was going on. Silly me for giving you the benefit of the doubt. I could tell by the way you watch her. You had that stupid glint in your eye, like a proud conqueror.” Emily prowled forward, backing him up against the wall. “Now, burn my words into your puny mind. She’s. Not. Yours.” She pointed to the window, her nose turned up with disgust, daring him to object. “Get out. I need to have a word with my sisteralone.”
Clyde didn’t move. His expression wavering between defiance and defeat. His eyes, dark with unspoken words, searched hers—waiting. Hoping. Silently pleading for her to stand with him, to push against her sister.
But Luna said nothing.
She could feel the weight of Emily’s glare press down on her, the heat of Clyde’s expectation. This was her moment to speak . . . to fight for him. For them. And yet, she stayed frozen, her fingers curling into her nightgown, nails digging into its fabric.
Why was she hesitating?
Because deep down, some part of her feared Emily was right.
The tension stretched unbearably, thick as the silence between them. Clyde’s expression shifted, his shoulders drawing inward, the light in his eyes dimming like a flame suffocated by the wind.
Then, without a word, he turned and swung a leg over the windowsill, his movement stiff—like a marionette cut loose from its string. His hands gripped the frame, knuckles white, but he didn’t look back. Not once. And that hurt more than anything Emily had said.
Luna’s heart splintered. Clyde had only been watching over her . . . his way of showing love. How dare her sister barge into her room and scold Clyde; she knew nothing about their situation, their feelings. Not only had Emily ruined one of the rare moments Luna had with him, but she was acting as if they’d committed a crime.
And just like that, he was gone.
Emily slammed the window shut, whirling around to face Luna. “I. Don’t. Like. Him,” she spat out, her hands on her hip.
Like that wasn’t obvious by the way she practically threw him out of her room. Luna smoothed out her nightgown. When in doubt, feign innocence. “You don’t like that my guard guards me?” Luna retorted.
“Cut the crap. I know what’s going on. I’ve seen the stolen glances, the eyes you make at him. I just didn’t realize he was leading you on.”
Leading her on? What was Emily talking about? They were in love! Stolen glances were all they had, thanks to people like her, so concerned about stations and class. Why couldn’t her sister just be happy for her?
Emily continued her lecture, “You can do better than him. You deserve better than him.”
“Ugh!”Skies above!Miss Gossipy Pants was so judgemental. Luna threw her hands up. “You act like you know everything, but you don’t. You didn’t even try to understand him.” Tears welled in her eyes, but she held them back, refusing to let Emily see her break.
“I don’t need to. I know his type.”
“Which is?”
“Shameless.”
How dare she! Luna wasn’t a violent person by nature, but images of throwing a book at her sister flashed through her mind. There was no way she was going to stand here and let Emily spew insult after insult about the man she fancied. “You’re being completely unreasonable; I think you should leave.”
“No.” Emily crossed her arms. “Unreasonable would be telling Father.”
A bolt of icy terror speared through Luna. “You wouldn’t.”
“Maybe not.” Emily released an exhausted sigh as she took a seat on Luna’s bed. “But think about it, Luna. If he truly cared, would he drag this out? No. He’d ask for your hand, make it official. You’d be poor, but you’d be happy. Together. If he actually loved you, would he risk creating a scandal? Destroying your future? No. A real man would do the proper thing. And he hasn’t, has he?”
Luna thought back on all their moments, stolen or otherwise, and Emily did have a point. He hadn’t offered her marriage or even brought up the subject. Luna figured he might be shy or needed more time. “I’m sure he has his reasons.”
“Or he wants to see what it’s like to be with a . . .” Emily shut her mouth, whatever she had been about to say she had decided against it. There was a short pause before she cleared her throat and tried again. “You always see the best in people, but what if this time you’re wrong?”
