I shocked myself out of the numbness. Mother clapped her hand over my wrist to keep me from jumping out of my skin. We did not knowhewould come tothe manor!
I had spent my entire life imagining what the famed heir to Lycaster looked like. He would have just turned fifteen, but I still braced myself for the broad shoulders, sharp eyes, and cocky smile that was sure to swagger intomy home.
Another figure emerged from the golden carriage and I finally laid eyes on the boy I needed to marry. I let a tiny breath pass my lips—he was thinner than I thought hewould be.
Lord Hyton timidly followed behind his father into the manor with his white-gloved hands clasped in front of him. He walked with his chin dipped, like he wanted to disappear behind his dark curls that softly fell tohis shoulders.
What his hair could not hide, even though he looked only at the floor, were the most beautiful blue eyes I could ever imagine—dark and dynamic, like the sea. I suddenly couldnot breathe.
Only Duke Hyton’s brash voice could tear my eyes off his son. “Baron and Baroness Ravenwood, the House of Hyton offers our deepest condolences for your loss.Sosorry we could not attendthe funerals.”
“We did not have funerals,” Father clipped bitterly. “We hadno bodies.”
Duke Hyton’s eyes narrowed and he lowered his voice. “Do not forget to whom you speak,Frederick.Besides, no one is angrier about the results of the battlethan me.”
My stomach dropped. If Duke Hyton had ordered every son of Ravenwood and Bloodstone provinces to fight the giants with no provocation, what would he do if someone actually madehim angry?
Mother smiled and inched closer to Father—a silent plea to not provokethe Duke.
“Due to Ravenwood’sandBloodstone’s failure on the mountain,” Duke Hyton said with a low, pointed voice. “I had to do alittle…damage control.”
Duke Hyton snapped his fingers. His announcer unfurled a large scroll and proudly read: “The last sons of the House of Ravenwood valiantly led the mighty Ravenwood militia to fight alongside His Excellency’s army on a righteous quest against the giants of Nordingaard mountain. Erik Frederick Ravenwood, twenty years of age, and Endre Kristofer Ravenwood, seventeen years of age, fell as heroes in battle. May they conquer inanother life.”
I clenched my fists together so tightly I thought my fingernails would pierce my palms. Valiant. Righteous. Heroes. Nothing in Duke Hyton’s proclamation told the truth about the battle. There was no mighty Ravenwood militia—only the sons of herders and woodsmen forced into battle. Erik and Endre had unknowingly led thousands of knob-kneed and wide-eyed imitations of soldiers into a bloodbath. Not a singlegiant fell.
The numbness in my body grew until it threw me into the memory of cold fog at dawn. Endre stood in front of me with his dark green cape around his shoulders and his new sword against his hip. His freckled cheeks rose up to his mossy eyes that shone with valor. He gave me a nearly bone-crushing hug goodbye and his merry laugh tickled my ear. He smelled like mint andfresh smoke.
His cheek brushed against my hair and I could hear his signature bright smile in his voice.“The first giant I kill is for you, Sera. Ilove you.”
I was so foolish to believe him. No one had ever killeda giant.
Father’s curt voice snapped me back to the present. “How does spreading that scroll of lies around the Dukedom solve anything? Ravenwood losthalfits boys. No one can work the land. My peoplewill starve!”
Mother grabbed Father’s wrist as quickly as the strike of a viper. I hated standing motionless with a frozen tongue and a shattered heart as my family crumbled before my eyes, but I had no power to change anything and I never would. I belonged to my father, with no money and no choices for my life, and then when I graduated from school and married at age twenty-one, I belonged tomy husband.
All I could do for the rest of my life was what my motherhad commanded—smile.
I clutched my hands even tighter as Duke Hyton chuckled low. “You requested my army to destroy the giants that plaguedyourlands and all I asked in return was that the Northern provinces send their sons up the mountain as well. Unless you want to hand full control of Ravenwood over to me now, I suggest you solve your own problems.” His eyes flicked down to the sparkling gems on Father’s chest. “Regardless of what your peasants produce at harvest without their sons, I think you will find a way to pay Ravenwood’s taxesthis year.”
Father’s jaw tightened but Mother cut in before the tension could grow. “We are delighted you traveled all the way from the capital city to stay with us, Your Excellency!” Her voice was bright as a meadowlark song with no sign of the strained growl from moments before. “While we are certainly not as grand as Hyton Palace, we will ensure you are just ascomfortablefor the nexttwo weeks.”
Duke Hyton’s eyes wandered down my mother’s body. He looked somehow…hungry. My stomach flipped as I fought the urge torun away.
As if he sensed my fear, Duke Hyton’s blue eyes swept from my mother to me. He smiled in a way that did not seem friendly. “Adalia, is this charming young lady your daughter? How oldis she?”
The question made my stomach turn over and I had no idea why. Mother took a step toward Duke Hyton, shielding part of my body with her shoulder. “She is fourteen, Your Excellency. She is set to start at the Ashmore Academy for Young Ladiesin September.”
Propriety forced me to keep my eyes on the Duke while I really wanted to shrink into my skirt and disappear. The last thing I wanted from His Excellency washis attention.
Duke Hyton clapped his hand on Lord Hyton’s shoulder—who winced at the touch—and his voice was sickeningly sweet. “Why, that would make her in the same class as my son! How fortunate that they could meet before they left forthe academies.”
Mother responded with a coy smile that did not reach her eyes.
I did not know why everyone pretended it was a surprise that I was one of the three girls eligible to be Lord Hyton’s bride. Anyone who knew I was only six months younger than the heir also knew Lord Hyton could choose me to be the next Duchess of Lycaster when we graduatedfrom school.
Not that he had anyreason to.
The numbness enveloped me again as Mother’s and the Duke’s voices faded into the background. Suddenly my fists were not clutching each other, but instead clinging to Erik’s dark green cape as I silently begged himto stay.
