‘No one else wanted to play with us,’ I corrected.
‘I did.’
It took a huge effort to swallow the scoff. He lounged back, lifted his eyes from the brandy to mine.
‘You were always having so much fun, but you’d never let us play.’
Let us play.Danté uttered derogatory remarks every time we were in earshot. He, and all the other offspring of the nobles, sneered as we tore up the palace with dirt on our faces and scuffs upon our knees. I sighed. Facing Danté as a girl of ten had been so much easier. If he annoyed me, I’d simply punch him in his face. Yes, I’d take a beating for it, but at least it shut him up. These options weren’t suitable for a grownup, unfortunately, let alone a queen.
‘As I recall, you didn’t want to play.’
A muscle ticked in his jaw. ‘True, I’d little desire to play with the spawn of the rebel leader, but you…’
I stared at him, wide-eyed. By Vyrus’s flames, what game was he playing?
‘What about me?’ I gripped the velvet so tightly I risked ripping it.
‘You always had fire.’ A wistful smile played on his lips as he took another sip, followed by that damned lip smacking. ‘I’d have given anything to tear up the corridors with you. Be the one to make you throw your head back and laugh. Buthewas always there. The son of the bloody rebel.’
I took a settling breath, quelling the burning in my chest. ‘I think you’re forgetting that son is now a king. Your host while you remain within the safe walls of his castle, eating his food and supping his finest brandy.’
A glint lit up Danté’s eyes as he took another long sip. ‘And you forget, Your Highness, how my older brother fell in with the rebel king. Listened to his lies about power, wealth. How Vyrium should improve the lives of everyone – even the commoners – make lives easier. And look where it got him. My brother ended his twenty-one years swinging on the end of a rope, stripped naked and bleeding. Branded a traitor.’
He shook his head, his expression darkening. ‘So excuse me for my bitterness but no, I’m afraid I have little respect for the son of the man who decimated my family’s reputation.’
We sat in silence for a few moments. I hadn’t known about Danté’s brother and a pang of conscience wriggled uncomfortably in my chest. But none of it had been Matthias’s fault. I opened my mouth, ready to tell him his brother made his own choices. Matthias had suffered too. A child, ripped from his family and home, a ward of Romero, when Danté spoke.
‘And Asmar wins once more. He had you as a child and now he gets you as his wife.’
I snorted. ‘After my accident, no one else wanted me.’
‘I did.’
A fierce rash rose up my neck. He stared at his glass, focused on the swirling liquid.
I barked out a laugh. ‘Of course you would. The bastard stepdaughter of the king. You couldn’t stand me.’
‘No.’ He lifted his gaze to meet mine. ‘It washimI detested. And every time he was there, reminding me of how I’d lost my brother, my idol, you were there too. The way you looked at him as though he were the whole world. I’d have sold my soul to Vyrus for you to look at me like that for a single second.’
My brows pinched together. Was I supposed to believe his nonsense or was this a sick trick? Lies to expose the cracks in my marriage? He sighed before downing his brandy.
‘So,’ he said, leaning in slightly as I backed away, ‘pardon me if I think it odd for your newhusbandto abandon you after a few weeks of marriage, regardless of what else is going on in the world. If you were mine, the world could burn and decay and I’d remain by your side until we drew our last breath.’
My nostrils flared as I exhaled a long breath. Danté beckoned a courtier with a striking click of his pale fingers. Asher strode behind them as Danté stood and bowed.
‘Pardon me, Your Highness.’ Danté took a step back. ‘I fear I’ve drunk too much courage and allowed my mouth to run away.’
I flinched as he took my hand and pressed a rather wet, clumsy kiss to my knuckles.
‘Congratulations, by the way.’
Asher raised a brow as Danté stumbled away.
‘Drink?’ he asked.
I nodded. ‘A large one. I’ve certainly earned it this evening.’
The familiar smile lit up Asher’s face as he offered me his arm and we broke away, Skye and Pablo hot on our heels.
