Page 61 of Chasing the Night

“Of Course, Lady Chalice.” While we sipped wine and ate berries and hot cakes, he entertained me with travel tales. A confession that I had never seen the Torch of the Sea left him wide-eyed and insisting that someday we would travel together and see it.

Messiah

It’s safe to say that most men awake with nerves on the day of their ceremony. Me, I had begun to dread every day that carried me toward the sacred date. It was getting harder to pretend. Not that I ever wanted to begin pretending with Lady Blazian. She was a decent and darling young lady. She deserved a chance toward some type of happy home.

She was a great friend, but she would never hold my heart.

I simply didn’t see her that way, and if I were being honest with myself, I wasn’t even sure I still had the ability to give all of myself to another person. I did that once and watched on as every ounce of my former self melted away in the clear waters of Lake Last.

No thanks.

Only, I couldn’t say ‘no thanks.’ I had to smile and say, ‘yes, Sir’. I had to choke out a dozen thank yous when congratulations were passed. But worst of all, I had to see Chalice’s eyes when Isabella rubbed her nose in it without warning. I heard Isabella telling the audience I belonged to Blazian, but when I saw Chalice was wounded and felt her pain in the depths of my being, I knew I was only lying to myself. I couldn’t give Blazian my heart, Chalice already owned it.

She was an anomaly. A woman who had redefined herself, not to catch the eye of men, but to protect herself from them. Some people had walls, Chalice had mirrors. I had tried my damnedest to teach her the art of impassive response, but she was incapable. Chalice gave exactly what she got. So, I shouldn’t have been surprised when she ripped the knife out of her heart and turned it against me.

It turned my stomach to see her brushing against Icarus and smiling like that. I found myself wanting to cut him rather than my steak.

What the fuck was I doing? I loved Icarus. In the earlier days and months after Lisette’s execution, Atticus’ rage had been entirely directed at me, and it was Icarus who had always been there to reassure and comfort me. We’d shared more nights than either of us could count, but in that moment, not a one of them counted.

He looked up from his plate and flashed a brief affectionate smile before almost returning his focus to his plate. His head came back up ever so slowly, and he locked eyes with me again. He stopped chewing and hesitantly glanced around with open confusion and concern. I forced myself to look away and realized Isabella was glaring at me. Her eyes had turned so dark they were almost black, and she sawed through her steak with a set jaw.

Fated Few. Chalice had used her luring on him, and in turn, commanded a reaction out of me. I wanted to dance her back to the cell the same way I escorted her the first time, but another part of me was proud of how far she had mastered the art of luring.

The blame remained on me throughout the meal. I was shunned by Mother and had dealt enough of an unintended blow to my intended to leave her speechless and teary-eyed.

She left with Lady Nayana, and Chalice all but sprang after them. The others trickled out slowly as the hour wore on, until it was only me, Atticus, and Isabella.

“It seems all hope isn’t lost after all,” Isabella purred, placing her hand on Atticus shoulder. She stood beside his chair, lending her body against him in a rare display of affection.

“What do you mean?” I asked, before finishing off my wine.

“Lady Chalice. It is no matter, that upset toward her reputation…” Isabella began, only to be hushed when Atticus quickly lay his hand atop her own.

“I have arranged a contract. She is to be unioned if all goes well,” Atticus joyfully boasted.

It seemed like he had benefited from the scandal. An odd glow had taken his features, and he looked like he had just one-upped on a trade agreement.

“I see.” I smiled politely and stood up, not really caring to see anything. His words had my pulse hammering in my ears. All I wanted to do was get as far from the Villa as I could for a few hours.