However, once I entered the Triton Estate and the butler escorted me to my room, I felt like I’d been sent to another posh prison. The Triton Estate might have different décor than the Durand Estate, but it was cold and forbidding in a way I struggled to settle into.
I lay down on the plush bed in my new room, all ocean blues with sea glass décor. At least this felt a little more comfortable than the room I’d left behind. To be honest, I was surprised they’d put me in a separate wing from Arielle, since we were betrothed. Although, from the understanding I’d gotten from her, she also viewed this as a transaction, not anything…real.
A knock sounded at the door, and I sat up.
Arielle stood in the doorway, a smile on her lips. Her long, coppery orange hair traveled to her waist, twined back in a braidtoday, and she wore a winsome yellow dress that cinched at the waist to flow out in a larger skirt. She was stunning, with wide, curious eyes and delicate features, but my body didn’t respond in the slightest.
“When did you arrive?” she asked.
“An hour ago,” I said, running my fingers through my hair. I attempted to paste on a smile, but it wobbled.
“Don’t look so tortured,” she teased. “I’m well aware of what this is—a marriage we’ve both been pushed into. I’m not under any delusions I’m your one. We played the parts, did our duties, and now we can enjoy our lives and our own pursuits.”
That should comfort me—that Arielle wasn’t trying to force a romance on me, but instead the words knifed at my heart a little more. That I’d never have the love I’d longed for. That I’d only get trysts in the dark while we put up a facade.
“You’re as free as you want to be while you’re here, apart from the appearances we’ll need to make at balls. What do you like to do, besides getting spat out by the ocean?” Arielle asked, coming over to plop down on the mattress beside me.
“Do I have to stay here?” I asked. “In the estate?”
Arielle’s laugh was light, tinkling. “You’re not a prisoner.” She gave me a light push, and I fought the urge to lean into the contact—any contact—after being touch starved my whole life. “You might need to let us know where you go so you’ve got guards with you, but of course you can go where you like.”
The idea of heading to Jason’s with guards felt ridiculous, but maybe they’d allow me to go in by myself and wait outside. The first fluttering of hope burst in my chest. That even though I’d been sold to a rich family, I might not be as trapped as I’d imagined.
“What do you like to do?” I asked, even though I never answered her question.
“Dance,” she said with a wink. “Papa wanted me married off as fast as possible because he was tired of finding me at the clubs in Peregrine City. He said I partied too much. Thought it gave our family a bad name.”
“If you want to dance, that’s great,” I offered, appreciating her openness. “I’ll forewarn you, though, I’ve got no coordination.”
“Our parents will probably require us to take lessons before the wedding,” she said. “Something formal. Definitely not anything slutty.” Another laugh spilled out of her. “This is weird, right?”
A laugh burst out of me, and some of the pressure that had been weighing me down lightened. “So damn weird. I spent so long with my father hounding me to take on the family business after him, and now that those responsibilities aren’t mine anymore, I have no idea what my future looks like.”
“This is about freedom.” Arielle passed me a glance. “I don’t know about you, but I’m not feeling any sparks, no offense. But I also didn’t enter into this expecting some romantic whirlwind.”
“You don’t hold back, do you?” I said, more knots loosening. “I’m not offended, though I can admit I never wanted an arranged marriage.”
“Then why did you propose?” she asked, curiosity dancing in her eyes.
“My father is excellent at coercion,” I responded. “He’s always had methods of getting what he wanted.”
“Mine’s…complicated,” Arielle said, the light dimming from her expression for the first time. “But he’s loyal to our family.”
Loyalty to our families was what got us into this in the first place, but I swallowed the words back. She already knew. “Would you mind showing me around the estate? It feels odd to poke around on my own.”
Arielle rolled her eyes. “You realize you’re living here, right? You’re free to go anywhere you like—just respect people’sprivacy. Don’t rummage around in bedrooms.” She tugged at the opalescent blue pendant hanging down by her breasts.
“Let’s start with the kitchen,” I said, even though I ate recently. “I’ve seen the entrance and dining hall, but this place is massive. It’ll take a while to explore.”
“Sorry you had to deal with Ursuline bringing you over,” Arielle said. “They’re so serious and pissy all the time.”
My brow wrinkled. They hadn’t come across like that in the slightest. If anything, they’d been sharp, attentive, and kind. I’d felt comfortable in their presence in a way that was rare, and I liked that they’d taken me to their monster hangout rather than some stuffy human place. “They made the transition more bearable.”
“Are you a saint or something?” Arielle said with a laugh. Their comment prickled under my skin, even though I had no reason for allegiance. Maybe more because I didn’t have reason to condemn them when they’d done nothing wrong. “Anyway,” she said, pushing up from her seat on the bed. “Let’s go to the kitchen first. I’ll show you the best places in the house.”
She traipsed forward, all lightness, with an upbeat nature I envied. I wasn’t mired in misery, but I waded more through a palette of emotions, splashing different ones on the page every waking hour. To be that carefree wasn’t in my nature.
We strode down the staircase on the opposite side of the hallway, this one leading to what looked like an entertaining area, with flatscreens mounted, couches scattered about, and a grand fireplace on the far wall. The entire wall along the back was glass, two doors carved in the middle. It showcased a breathtaking view of Hawk Bay, which lay directly behind the Triton Estate.
