Roman glared at the ground. An interrogation about the worst day of his life had him precariously close to throttling the contrite look off Vivian’s face. “She’d heard I was sick and brought me soup.” If he could go back, he would never have feigned ill, and this nightmare would have never happened.
Vivian lifted a skeptical brow. “You didn’t seem sick.” He decided not to answer, and she pinned him in place with her inscrutable gaze. “Yourfriendshipwith my sister needs to stop.”
The darkness Roman tried to keep at bay swelled, forcing him to restrain himself from telling her to go fuck herself. “Excuse me?”
Vivian’s face darkened to match Roman’s mood. “You heard exactly what I said. I’ve seen you two together at home, and it needs to stop.”
Roman threw his head back with an incredulous laugh, and Vivian jerked back. “You have no right to demand anything of me. Do you think I don’t know that you’re still seeing someone else?” He leaned forward and infused his words with venom. “Watch your fucking tone.”
She recoiled and backed away. “How dare you?”
“How dareme?” His voice rose with every word. “I can feel your emotions, or did you forget? You have no right to ask me to give up a friendship when you are in a romantic relationship with someone else.”
“See whoever you want,” Vivian sneered. “I don’t care, but not her.” He stared at her. She was out of her fucking mind if she thought any amount of threatening would keep him from Violet. “The gods chose me,” she reminded him. “I won. I am who they blessed as your queen, not her.”
I won.Roman almost laughed in her face again at the audacity of it all. “A mate bond isn’t a prize to be won,” he snarled. “You don’t care about me, you only care about besting your sister. It’s pathetic.” Not wanting to be in her presence any longer than necessary, he stood to leave.
Had he not been able to feel Vivian’s love for another, guilt would insist he grant her request. He wouldn’t, but he’d feel bad about it. Violet meant everything to him. Vivian meant nothing.
Would Violet have loved another man if she’d been fated to Roman? The thought made him murderous. If she were his, he would kill anyone who stood between them, no matter the consequences.
Vivian stood silently, watching him leave, and he could feel her bitterness melding with his own. “We’re not married yet, and I’ll not take your happiness from you,” he said from the doorway. “Love whomever you want, but until we are married, neverdeign to dictate who I keep in my life. I am the future king, no matter what, but your only tie to the crown is through me.”
* * *
A week later, Roman cornered Griff during training. Violet’s best friend towered over most, but not him, and the boy had to tilt his head, his shoulders tense as if ready to flee. Griff’s rich russet skin sported a layer of sweat, and he squinted his black eyes against the afternoon sun.
“Is something wrong?” Griff’s voice cracked, as most boys’ did at their age.
Griff was an excellent fighter and rarely intimidated, but Roman didn’t miss the rigidness of his stance.
“Do you know when Violet is returning to school?” Roman inquired as cavalier as possible. He’d skipped class the day before and went to Violet’s house to check on her, only to find her gone.
Griff lifted a single brow. “She didn’t tell you? I thought you two were friends.”
Roman rolled his neck and reminded himself that beating the answer out of Griff would win him no favor with Violet. “I haven’t been able to speak to her since the rebel attack.” He pushed away the image of Violet clinging to War’s bloody neck.
“You haven’t been to see her?” Griff’s tone took on a hard edge.
“Where is she?” Roman ground out, losing all patience. He’d rather not speak to her with her entire family present, but if he couldn’t get her alone during the school day, he would have to.
Griff crossed his arms with a smug smirk. “She switched schools to the one in town. The one near the post building.”
Roman reared back. “What? Why?”
Glancing side to side, Griff lowered his voice. “If you tell anyone this, I’ll try to beat your ass,” he warned. “I know I’ll lose, but I’ll inflict as much damage as possible.” Despite wanting to pummel the guy, Roman admired and appreciated his protectiveness of Violet. “If someone finds out, they might tease her around the compound, and then I’ll have to fight them too.”
Roman’s jaw tightened. “I would never betray her.”
Griff’s sigh was sad and full of pity. “Since the attack, she refuses to set foot inside the palace.” He waited for Roman’s response, but all Roman did was stare back dumbly. Griff shrugged. “It reminds her of the attack.”
Roman would burn the palace to the ground when he took the throne if it would ease Violet’s fears. He hated that a horrific memory ruined a place containing some of his most coveted ones. “I won’t tell anyone,” he vowed. “What time does her new school let out?”
“They only go until one o’clock,” Griff replied. “They let out soon.”
Roman nodded and spun on his heel to leave, throwing a thanks over his shoulder.
Roman waited outside of the small school building on the western-most part of Saltu. Violet moving schools meant less time with her, but if the palace frightened her, he’d not try to convince her to come back.
