My voice was stronger. “I mean the size of anormal man.”
“Well, he is not a normal man, now is he? Why would I make him a normal man if he was never one tobegin with?”
My cheeks flashed hot and I clenched my fists. “Because we still have not consummated the marriage. It is impossible athis size.”
“Nothing is impossible,” Fraleigh said as she picked at her long fingernails. “Sounds like you have not tried hard enough to makeit possible.”
“I was trying.” Anger churned in my stomach and lashed up at my throat. “I was almost crushed to death trying. I know you did not tell me I would be a satisfactory bride like you did my classmates, but that does not mean I deserve to sufferan annulment!”
In the fog of my fatigue, I had abandoned my training in manners and proper reverence. I did not have time to talk in circles or for game-playing. I needed Riyan to be the size of a normalmanimmediately.
Fraleigh did not look at me and continued examining hersharp fingernails.
“Serafina, really,” she said with a smirk, “many young ladies are dissatisfied with their husbands after Selection Night. You will just have to bring yourself to consummate your marriage with the man who selected you, just as every other noble woman hasfor centuries.”
“This is different and you know it!” I shouted. My blood boiled in my veins. My tongue was a steel blade. My bones were iron. I refused to show fear or weakness. “You know everything. You know what happens if my marriage annuls. Duke Hyton willown me!”
My voice hitched. Fraleigh’s golden eyes flashed for a moment. I wanted to bite my tongue and shut down before I looked even weaker in front of Fraleigh, but I only had one chance to convince herto help.
Fraleigh had told me I was manipulative and an excellent liar, but I could not trick her into giving me what I wanted as I could with others. Those ancient golden eyes saw rightinto me.
If I wanted help, I needed to show her the real reason I neededher magic.
I let out a shaking breath and imagined myself on DukeHyton’s balcony.
My heart stopped and my vision swirled. Fatigue burned the backs of my eyes. Duke Hyton’s imaginary hand slithered around my waist. His sharp breath stung my nose. His thick fingers weaved through my hair and yanked me down into the pits of mydarkest fears.
“Just like your mother,” the invisible Duke whispered inmy ear.
I crossed my arms in front of my shaking chest and found Fraleigh’s golden eyes. I stacked my spine again. I pulled myself out ofthe pit.
“You cannot let him own me.” My desperate whisper left my lips like a tinyfledgling bird.
Fraleigh’s face broke for only a moment before snapping back into stillness. Pity. Understanding. A glimmerof hope.
My nails dug into my sleeves as I clutched myself into a false safety. “I know you cannot imagine the Duke owning you, being as powerful as you are. But…but I will not survive. He cannot turn meintoher.”
My mother.Weak. Powerless.
Fraleigh’s eyes glistened amongst a face of iridescent stone. I held my breath. Fragments of granite clung to my weak heart as it pleaded witheach beat.
Please, Fraleigh. Please save me. Pleasesave us.
Fraleigh’s shoulders dropped slightly. She tilted her chin up. The corners of her mouth turned up and her goldeneyes flashed.
“You can figure this out on your own, Serafina,”she said.
Fraleigh made a dismissive motion with her hand. Rosaline appeared next to me, having entered the room some time duringour conversation.
“She is ready, Rosaline.” Each of Fraleigh’s words was a fist to the gut. “She has a long journey aheadof her.”
My blood ran cold. She refused. Iwas doomed.
Rosaline gently took my limp arm. She met eyes with Fraleigh and nodded once before leading me out of the conservatory. My feet followed her out, but my eyes stayed on Fraleigh. Despite how badly I hoped she would reconsider, she stayed still with her fists in her lap as she watched the sun die behindthe sea.
The conservatory door shut with a thud. I expected Rosaline to turn right toward the front doors of the palace, but instead she turned left to the goldenspiral staircase.
“Look, I could get into trouble for this,” Rosaline said in a hushed voice, “but I’ll do itfor Riyan.”
