Caleb seemed comfortable, and casual. It was bizarre to see him like this, completely at odds with everything I knew about him.The shorter man looked at me through a pair of deep, black spectacles. He was about Caleb’s age, but much less muscular, with a lithe and thin build. His hair was pitch bla
I nod, swallowing my nerves.He closed the space between us, pressing his soft lips into mine in a gentle, chaste kiss. I returned it, raising myself on my tiptoes to reach him more easily.I opened my eyes as he pulled away, and saw the same surprise I felt mirrored in his face.“Great, I’ll edit t
Caleb clutching my lifeless body, sewing me up into my wedding dress. Harper clutching Lucas, and cackling like a madwoman. I woke the next morning to the sound of urgent knocking, and I rolled out of bed to answer it. My mother stood there, her lips pressed tightly together. “We’d like to speak t
I fell out of the bed, scrambling away from him as he advanced. I was nearly at the door when he grabbed me by the back of the neck. lifting me off the floor without effort. His breath was hot and sour in my face, “You are nothing without me, you cannot defy me.”He raised his other arm to strike me
“Really?” I asked, touched.“Yes, really. Goddess, Lucas has been a piece of shit to you, hasn’t he?”“His behavior made it a lot easier to call off the wedding,” I replied, sitting down on the bed.Caleb eyed me from a few steps away, but made no move to join me. “So, my little scheming bride, what
“What? No! That’s not…” I fumbled over my words, “That’s not what I meant.”“Oh? What do you mean then? That you want to be the one fawning over me, not the rest of my ‘fan-club’ as you put it.”I groaned, “Look, I think laying out some ground rules would be helpful. We haven’t gotten into any speci
His words shocked me, and I stared at him in surprise. A true marriage? With Caleb? I imagined all the times I had seen other women hanging off of him like ornaments, and all of his snide comments even now that we were allied together against Lucas.It made me want to laugh, but it also sobered me t
The thought I was worthy of a precious ring had filled me with so much pride and joy I thought I was going to burst. But now, as I looked at this tiny piece of metal and stone in my hands, I couldn’t help but be curious instead. Why did Lucas tell me it was so valuable?I slipped it into my pocket f
But I also knew that I couldn’t let him die. Even if he wouldn’t realize it, I would do everything I could to protect him.History would not repeat itself.He seemed satisfied with my answer, and put an arm around my waist to guide me down the street. “Come on, let’s actually get out of the rain.”“
RUBYI panic and duck underneath the windowsill, wrapping my arms over my head to stay hidden. Who was that woman? I think of her perfectly shaped limbs, the easy way she attached herself to Caleb. But mostly, the fact he let her. Who is she to him?I shake myself out of my thoughts. He isn’t my ma
And here she stood before me, hideously beautiful, and as calm as the Prenian breeze. I clawed my way out of the memory. I refused to ever be put in that same position again.“I can’t trust you completely while it’s still true you are tied to my brother.” I paused, she still hadn’t looked up or ack
CALEBReally, I shouldn’t be so surprised that Ruby knows as much about Lucas as she does. They were mates after all, and even though now she seems to have turned against him, she has been following him around like a love-sick puppy for as long as I could remember.I sighed, the dilemma beginning to
”Whoever takes on this job has to have enough experience to make the party a success, your claim to the throne is dependent on it. So, for two candidates who have never worked with the palace before and who don’t know how the kitchens work, the timing of events… it could be a disaster.”“I have plen
I could see the hesitation on his face, stopping him from reaching out with confidence to take his brother’s hand. I tugged on his shoulder, tip-toeing to his ear to whisper, “You can do this Caleb, I know you can.”His jaw set firmly in determination, and he shook Lucas’s outstretched hand.“Fine,
Lucas glares at me. “What is that supposed to mean?”I groan in frustration, and pull his engagement ring from my pocket. “This will never sit on my finger Lucas. I would rather die than be bound to you for the rest of my life.” It fell from my fingers, clinking pitifully on the marble steps.“But y
The thought I was worthy of a precious ring had filled me with so much pride and joy I thought I was going to burst. But now, as I looked at this tiny piece of metal and stone in my hands, I couldn’t help but be curious instead. Why did Lucas tell me it was so valuable?I slipped it into my pocket f
His words shocked me, and I stared at him in surprise. A true marriage? With Caleb? I imagined all the times I had seen other women hanging off of him like ornaments, and all of his snide comments even now that we were allied together against Lucas.It made me want to laugh, but it also sobered me t