“What are you on about?” I ask, though I know perfectly well. He must have finally realized that Gen and I share a past. When I first supported him, it was from revenge, hoping to hurt Gen the way she hurt me. But now, I don’t even want that. I just want her to be happy. And I know that will never happen with Leland.
I block his strike with ease. Leland isn’t a fighter. He’s not one to lose his temper, and I’ve never seen him spend his leisure timepracticing with a sword. Pistols, perhaps—any young Icelantican lord knows his way around a gun.
I push him back, hoping he’ll realize he’s outmatched and put the weapon down. Instead, he presses forward with a ferocity I’ve never seen in him.
“Don’t give me that shit! You’re her former lover—a fraud who’s been using me to get close to the princess. I won’t have it!”
He swings again, his blade grazing the fabric of my shoulder as I twist to counter.
“I won’t deny any of it.”
“Careful, Blackwell,” Gabe cautions, but I ignore him and take an offensive position. Leland isn’t fast enough; I knock the sword from his hand and bring the tip of my blade to his throat. A single drop of deep blue blood beads on his skin, and the prince sucks in a sharp breath.
“I’m finished with this,” he says, his voice placating. Reason returns to his tone, though it’s edged with disdain. Good. I deserve his disdain for what I’ve done to him. It’s been wrong of me to carry on this pretense. But I know, deep down, I’d do it again. “Have her or don’t. I no longer want her, and she’s certainly not worth dying over. But you—I trusted you. I saw you as a friend, and all this time you’ve been using me to what? Win her back? Hurt both of us?”
I let the sword drop to the ground, shaking my head. I’ve wanted revenge for so long. Now that I finally have it, it’s an empty victory.
Gabe and General Pryor rush toward us, but I shake off Gabe’s reach.
“You’re right, Leland. I never should have encouraged your match with the princess. I should have stayed out of it. She—she hurt me, and I thought I saw an opportunity to hurt her in return. I never should have involved you. It was wrong of me.”
Leland scoffs. “You’ve done an abysmal job of trying to hurt her. You haven’t been able to take your eyes off her since that first night. I’ve been in denial by not confronting you sooner.”
Gabe frowns, and Pryor looks ready to take up a pair of dueling pistols to finish me off properly, no swords necessary. My voice catches as I think about Gen, about how helplessly drawn I am to her. The truth is, some part of me will never stop loving her, even after everything that’s happened between us. Even now, when she’s still fighting what we both know exists between us.
I don’t need to share all the tangled feelings my heart holds for Genevieve Ashcroft, but Leland deserves an explanation.
“Right again, Prince Leland. I was arrogant to think that what I once felt for Princess Genevieve was dead.”
Now it’s Gabe’s turn to scoff. “You could have returned to her at any point.”
I shake my head. “It’s not that easy. A part of me died in the mines. I couldn’t return to my former life, even if I wanted to. I am sincerely sorry, Prince Leland. I’ll be leaving in a few hours for my home in the north.”
30
Genevieve
Iwater my blooming begonias with a tenderness reserved only for my plants. After all, my plants never disappoint me. They never work to harm me or turn away from me because of my curse.
The past few days have been too much, and all I want is the comfort of my glasshouse. I’ve not only lost Kieran for a second time, but I fear I’ve also lost any chance of marrying Leland—and may have forced my sisters into an arranged marriage neither of them wanted.
I turn toward a rare orchid, wiping its leaves with a soft cloth, when I hear the click on the door.
“May I come in, Princess?”
I turn to see Leland, dark circles under his eyes and a severe expression on his face. “Of course. Are you well?” There’s a small trail of blue blood on his throat, evidence of a fresh wound.
“Not exactly, but I will be.” He takes in the room, brushing his fingers across the leaves of a philodendron before delicately touching the blossoms of a freshly potted Begonia Gen. “These are beautiful.”
“Thank you. This is my refuge. I often come here to think and escape the court.” I want to ask him to leave—to keep this sanctuary free from regret and pain—but I know we need to have the conversation that’s coming.
Leland looks at me with a cool stare, his usually warm countenance gone. “I can see why. I hate to intrude on your peace, but I need to speak with you.”
Of course, even now, Leland would recognize that this conversation could tarnish my one escape from the world. “Would you like to go somewhere else?”
“How about a walk?” He gives me a sad smile that doesn’t reach his eyes, and I know our engagement is over. I’ve lost the alliance I worked so hard to secure and may have forced one of my sisters into a fate they never wanted. Will they live here, or will Leland now return to Icelantica to continue supporting his sister?
“A walk sounds lovely.” I remove my work gloves and apron, wiping my hands before checking my dress for stains. Then I pick up my silk gloves and slide them on as Leland holds the door open for me.
