Rosalind's POVI must have lost it. Because if I hadn't there was no way I would think to talk to a council member like that. I wondered if this was how it began. The arrogance that Adelyn wore like a cloak. Was I slowly turning into one of them even though I felt that I had been right in defending myself? I didn't know and I suspected that I might never. At least not in time to do anything about it. And I had been unable to take the book out to crown it all. I wondered if he would go through the book that a worthless person like me has been going through or if my words would have driven him to anger as he walked out. I was so consumed with my thoughts that I lost touch with my surroundings and someone suddenly pulled me into their arms and I looked up to see Cillian. My eyes widened in surprise."Cillian?"His name had barely left my mouth when his lips came down on mine and he kissed me so soundly that I forgot we were in the hallway where anyone could see us. He pulled away l
Rosalind's POVWhen I went out at midnight, River was waiting and I thought I caught a glimpse of surprise in those dark depths."You came."I had been so sure that I wouldn't but the thought of staying without answers for even a second more didn't appeal to me in the least. Deep inside me, I knew that wasn't the only reason I was back. The other reason was one that scared me slightly. Magic. Knowing my ban on magic was lifted and that I would have at my fingertips, the power to make sure that people like Councilman Arthur never got the chance to hurt me as he had threatened was enough allure to find my way back. I met River's gaze."We need to talk."******High Priestess Malia's POVThe cushion was uncomfortable. But then such was the problem of choosing a life that was as simple as it was intricate. One had to accept the discomfort and become one with them to attain true ascension. I looked over at the last person I would have expected to come calling at this hour. "What b
Rosalind's POVRiver took me to our training spot but once we landed, he didn't let go of me immediately and it took everything in me not to cringe away from his touch when I recalled how he had placed that dagger to my throat so effortlessly. Would we ever get back to where we had been in our friendship prior to that?I had no idea but I desperately wanted to know. River's dark eyes noticed my stiffness, now that I thought of it that was the only reason he would hold me so close. He let go of me, his voice unbearably formal. "What do you want to know?"I swallowed around the lump in my throat. "Was our friendship real or did Estella just make you do it?"It seemed that I had surprised River for the second time that night. "I thought that you would be more focused on magical questions. I blushed slightly. For all my 'lack of interest' in magic, I was itching at the bit to try it out again but there were things more important than that. Like friendships. Or at least I hoped tha
Rosalind's POVThat was just one moment. I wasn't attracted to River. At least I didn't think that I was. But after we had that moment, I couldn't help but be aware of him. Sparring with him had been abysmal as I kept flinching away from any contact and thinking way too much before even throwing a punch. Returning to the palace was all I thought of until River held me transporting me back and I felt sparks all over. It was a residual from doing magic. That was why I was being so sensitive. That was definitely why my heart raced as he smiled at me bidding me farewell. "See you."I waved, unable to speak. Things didn't get better as I returned to the Palace because before I could sleep very long, I was woken up by one of my attendants. "Princess Rosalind?"I turned unwilling to wake up just yet. "Princess Rosalind?""What?" I grumbled into my pillow. The attendant was silent, making me take a peek at her. "What?!""Your ladies are waiting in the drawing room to attend to yo
Rosalind's POVI had been wrong about what I said about them becoming less vicious. It was almost as though she had gotten more angry at the fact that I thought to dismiss the noble ladies. I had only done so because I didn't want them watching her and Aunt Celia fighting themselves and throwing underhanded comments at each other.What again had she said? That women like me were unworthy to become Killian's mate, that the only thing we were suited for would be warming his bed. Anger filled me up from the inside. Maybe because even now, the only thing that Killian and I shared was a physical relationship. Something he had done out of his way to enforce this morning. I had been the one to put down the rule the first time we were together but now it rubbed me wrong.I would forever love Cillian but I wondered if his softening in my heart meant something else other than what I had seen it as before. I blinked away the tears that sprung into my eyes."Women like me." When she said
Killian's POVIt had been purely by chance that I had wandered by the library at the time that Arthur had been questioning the librarian. His voice had been pitched low but the library was dead silent and between the resounding words and my kern hearing, I had heard every word that he said. The librarian had stuck to her story of not knowing what he was talking about save from guiding Rosalind to the book stack she was interested in. It was obvious that he was fishing for information that could potentially put Rosalind in trouble so that he could oust her from her rightful position. And how had he been able to do that? Because she was the one who had enabled that. I might have been able to overlook that if Rosalind hadn't been acting strange recently. She seemed distant and lost in thought at least half of the time. I wasn't the one acting jealous, she was the one acting weird. Admittedly, I was jealous. Jealous of the ease with which she related to Cillian. The way her eyes
Cillian's POVWhen Killian told me that Aunt Celia wanted to see me, this was the last conversation I had envisioned us having. She looked at me, her dark eyes watchful and missing nothing. "Is there someone else?"Truth be told, I had assumed that Killian had been lying. He obviously wanted to speak with Rosalind in private. I trusted Rosalind but I didn't exactly like the fact that she had to sneak around with me, she could walk around freely with him. I blinked at Aunt Celia not knowing what to say to that. "What?"She narrowed her eyes almost suspiciously at me. "I'm talking about Adeline. Both of you were seeing each other when tlyoy were much younger, when I found out she won your flag, I thought you would be happy. That was true. She didn't know the true colors of Adeline as I did. She still thought of her as that naive girl that I had grown up with and it was only normal that my aunt would be baffled that I wanted to end things with her instead of building up our last
Killian's POVAunty Lilly's face was expressionless."We need to talk about your fiancé."She looked me straight in the face as she spoke. Her eyes gleaming in the sunlight. She still looked twenty years younger than her actual age which I honestly couldn't recall anymore because it would be baffling even for a wolf with ultra slow aging."I'm listening." I was curious."I came here not long ago to talk to you about the benefit of having a noble as a wife and in no time I hear that you are already engaged. To an omega, no less." She cocked her perfectly carved brows at me.I sighed. I probably should have seen this one coming."Aunty Lily. If you heard that I was engaged, as you said, then you must also know that my fiancé was selected from the princess trials and not handpicked by anybody… anyone other than the goddess herself." I shrugged, playing it cool to see where this would lead.She scoffed."That damned competition was abhorred for a reason, my dear. I have no idea why the pr