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Edward is standing on the other side. He’s wearing a handsome marriage suit and his hands are clasped in front of him as he waits for them to bring me.
Even if I was willing to cooperate, I’m given little opportunity. My toes barely touch the ground as I’m lifted by my elbows and escorted through the rows.
Desperation clenches my stomach in an iron grip as I scan the row of faces for anyone familiar. I spot a few I had met at the fête, but no one who I could call a friend.
I don’t know why my spirits lift with hope when I locate my brother. My father isn’t here, nor is my mother. I’m not sure if that upsets me or if I’m glad they didn’t get an invitation. It would have been more powerful to lord my mother over me if that was Duchess’s Rinhold’s threat, but I realize why when my brother’s gaze meets mine.
They wouldn’t sit by and allow this.
My brother, though. He seems to have been preparing me for this day his whole life.
He doesn’t have to wear a mask anymore. I can see exactly who and what he is and he’s not hiding it. There’s cold calculation in his eyes and the joyless smirk playing on his lips demonstrates his amusement by this situation.
I don’t deserve this.
“Sabre. Cage. Help Cain. Bring him to me. Stop this, please!”
I would have preferred to say my prayer aloud, but a mental one will have to do.
Still, when I’m brought to the central circle of sheer drapes, servants tug on ropes to open them, revealing Edward to me.
On the other side of a large bed that has no pillows or sheets.
I scan the area for a priest or some sort of authority figure who would dare to sanction this sort of “ceremony.”
There’s no one. Edward himself chooses to address the room, instead, as if he’s the sole figure of authority required.
“Thank you, everyone, for coming here on such short notice,” he says as he lifts his voice and takes his time acknowledging various families. His hands are still clasped in a way that no one can see his palm and he keeps them that way as he speaks.
The coward couldn’t even cut his hand to make it look real like they did to me.
His tongue flicks out to wet his lips before he continues. “Lady Scarlett and I are as concerned as all of you are by recent events. Our Lord Cain has gone missing and there have been monster violations through various territories, including areas in the Elite City.
I frown as I wonder what he could be talking about. While I have been indisposed, I know of no such violations.
Cain’s absence, though, can be blamed on me.
“Because of this,” Edward continues, turning his blue eyes on me, “we have chosen the old way to conclude our courtship. The contract was written in Cain’s blood, after all. We don’t know what would happen to the future mother of my child, the Rinhold heir, should anything befall our great King.”
My stomach turns sour at his words.
I will never carry a child with your blood, I vow.
But I’ve come to the sickening realization of what kind of marriage ceremony this is. Edward lowers his chin with finality. “You all bear witness to our union. May it be blessed by Cain.”
My laugher at that statement would have echoed through the quiet of the room, had I not been spelled into silence.
Every Elite member holds their breath as the ties of my corset are undone. I know why it was a simple one now. I wasn’t meant to wear it for very long. I’m too numb to fight, not when I know that Duchess Rinhold will use my mother against me if I don’t comply.
But I can’t allow this to happen, either. Can I?
Fuck. What do I do?
The servant tugs the ropes again until the drapes close around us, leaving only Edward and I in the circle of sheer fabric.
He peels off his jacket as he watches me. “Come, my bride,” he says as he indicates the bed.
A shiver of defiance runs up my spine. Edward seems to have prepared for this sort of reaction, because he doesn’t seem perturbed. Instead, he pulls his shirt over his head, mussing up his hair before he works on the band of his pants.
