“This is unbelievable. You can’t just auction me off like some broodmare!”
Janus shakes her head. “That’s not what I am doing. I am doing my best to keep our borders clear of invaders.”
I scoff as Janus goes on to add, “Would marrying Alden be so terrible? I find him to be an exemplary young man. You may not love him, but you could do much worse as a political alliance. Besides, his story about other nations reportedly showing interest in conquering us doesn’t sit right with me. He is a warrior, and with the extra defenses, we can focus on fixingour internal issues. We can unify the factions, and then we can allocate time and funds to projects like your Lunar asylums.”
My hand clutches my stomach as a wave of nausea rises inside me. The thought of bearing Alden’s children, of them ruling in my stead, sickens me. But so does the idea of other invaders eyeing us like a center-cut sirloin.
But what about Wilder? He loves me.
“Stop it,” I say, my voice cracking. “I won’t do it.”
“Leigh, please. At least think about it.” Janus’s mask of patience does little to conceal the calculation in her eyes.
Every fiber of my being rebels against the idea.
“What would your grandmother say? Or your father?” Janus presses.
“They both would rather shoot themselves in the foot than let a wolf sit on a witch’s throne,” I snap.
Janus gives me a look that says,Get real.
You need to consider all options, Leigh,my father’s ghost pipes up. My breath catches, and I shove him out of my mind. This can’t be happening.
“What about your mother?” Janus adds.
I scoff. Mother would love to marry me off to a prince. She never warmed to the idea of Wilder. A Nebula, who carries a gun and has tattoos that are visible in a suit, is a man who represents everything she despises.
Janus nods like she can sense what I’m thinking. “Talk to Cynthia. And your grandmother while you are at it. I told Alden we would give him an answer tomorrow. I invited him to watch the kelpies with me and the rest of the Council.”
I grimace. Janus is handing me over to our enemies—a sacrificial lamb to be slaughtered on the altar of political expediency. I know what would happen if I said no. Any failed talks of peace will be my fault. Janus will scheme behind my back more, and the Council will fall in line behind her, a unitedfront against me. Stellan will catch wind of my failed nuptials and write about it, and my mother will tell me she told me so in a smug reminder of my inadequacy.
“Talk to Wilder,” Janus says, and I blink. “He’s an understanding guy, and I think if you told him you had to put your country first, he would understand.”
That’s it.
“Why were you at the hospital the night of the blackout?” I demand.
“It’s personal.” Janus stands with her attention on the clock. She curtsies. It’s a mocking gesture. “Tomorrow. At the races.”
The door clicks shut, and I groan, chucking my teacup against the wall. It shatters into a million pieces, leaving a brown stain on the carpet my grandmother would wring my neck over. But she’s in Glaucus, and something tells me that if she were here, she’d agree with Janus.
Leigh, relax. You don’t need to decide right now,Aradia’s ghost says faintly, as if she’s miles away. She is a distant comfort in the face of my despair. Still, I jolt, having not heard from her since before the first dreamwalking incident.
“Where have you been?” I ask, but once again, there’s no answer.
I bury my face in my hands, the sense of isolation akin to drowning. I can hardly breathe. Janus wants me to give Alden my answer tomorrow, but I’ve had no time to digest this new information. He’s been planning this since his arrival, and it makes sense why he’s been so reluctant to talk to me. He wanted to win Janus to his side. But their alliance won’t be strong once I expose her for conspiring with Beatrix Marks tomorrow at the races. Then I’ll get the rest of the Council to investigate her and Stellan’s possible relationship.
Gianna,Ry, and I weave through the bustling streets, dodging honking taxis on our way to Trinity Square, where Stellan Navis is rallying supporters outside the Auralite Library. Ry thinks we can ambush him after his speech, but with the crowd’s size, I worry something might go wrong. I hope I’m mistaken, and I can talk to Stellan first without taking Brigid up on her strings-attached offer to introduce us.
I want to ask him about Dimitri and his thoughts on his followers threatening to kill an innocent woman because of her affiliation with Epsilon. Gianna, who came to Aurora to uncover her past, has faced one roadblock after another. The gunman claimed during our interrogation the other night that he was following Stellan’s orders. Stellan may not be the peacemaker Brigid claims he is, but rather a warmonger in the making.
“Let’s get as close to the stage as possible,” I say as Ry takes Gi by the hand, ensuring we don’t lose her short stature to the crowd.
Over a thousand people have gathered to hear Stellan speak. It’s impressive, especially considering his lack of formal political training. He connects with people on a visceral level. Dressed as a civilian, I have my gun tucked into my waistband, prepared for any outcome. Although several Blades are on duty, they’restretched too thin to manage a crowd of this size if things go sideways.
“That might be the most stunning piece of architecture I’ve seen,” Gianna exclaims.
We’ve found a spot to stand, sandwiched between several smiling Nebulas. I haven’t seen many Epsilons, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t here.
