The two rose in tandem, though the Herr’s twitching lips told the Issaraeth that he already knew what offer awaited them. “It is my greatest honor that you have personally handled a betrothal for Dasha. Who is the lucky male?”
The Koron gestured to his brother-by-law, who stepped forward like an obedient hound. His stoic expression betrayed nothing of the fury storming inside him.
“My wife’s brother, Herr Räviel, the Issaraeth.”
A weapon. A monster.
And now, an offering.
34
Betrothed?
The word shattered through me, slicing up my insides. My vision wavered; all sounds warped. The garden blurred as nausea clawed up from my gut, sharp and sour.
Vaeron stepped forward, and Dasha claimed his neck, rising to her tiptoes to steal his mouth like she’d done it a hundred times before.
Our bond thrashed like a snared beast, roaring with ruin. And yet he didn’t flinch. Instead,he kept kissing her.
Like I didn’t even exist.
Maelsar placed a steadying hand on my arm.
I couldn’t breathe.
Had he played me this whole time? Shown me just enough affection to keep me compliant instead of defiant? To keep me from running before he could deliver me to this silver cage,like a prize for his sister?
Every word he’d ever spoken turned to knives, and I let them cut me open. Let myself drown in the agony, a harsh punishment for trusting what I should have known wasn’t true.
What had been real, and what had been rot wrapped in velvet?
They broke apart, Vaeron still stiff with formality, while Dasha looked up at him with unabashed eagerness.
Is this why he hadn’t tried to have sex with me? Because he would have been cheating on his betrothed?
“I look forward to our vows in a few weeks,” Dasha purred, batting her long, white lashes.
A few weeks?
I swayed, my good knee threatening to give out. Maelsar gripped me tighter.
But he had to have known too. Was that why he had come to my side?
I’d thought I was a horrible person for sleeping beside the male who had tormented my people. I’d thought I was betraying everyone I loved by doing it.
Forwantingit.
But it wasnothingcompared to what the Issaraeth had done to me.
The male shackled to me by the Goddess turned to his sister, ignoring his betrothed. “We’ve had a long journey and I’d like to rest.”
The Korona’s eyes tightened at the corners. “Of course. I’ll have one of the Sightkeepers fetch the Seer.”
“That won’t be necessary,” he said smoothly. “I can escort her to her new accommodation.”
The fuck he would.
“Actually,” the word burst out of me before I could stop it, my voice fracturing when I wanted it strong, “I’d prefer he didn’t.”
