Chapter Eighty

Athena

Seeing Cameron here crushed me, like my heart had been wrung out and left to dry.

He had actually shown up, and we were really going to go through with this bond-breaking ceremony. He stepped forward, and the drums faded, leaving only hushed whispers from the crowd.

“Oh my God, he’s here,” Mia murmured in despair. “You two are really going to do this?”

Her eyes brimmed with unshed tears, as if pleading with me to reconsider. Her gaze cut right through me, screaming that this was a massive mistake.

Of course, I knew that, deep down. But what choice did I have? What other path was left?

Cameron kept walking closer, each step as heavy as a stone dropping in my chest. He stopped in front of me, his presence cold and distant. His father, the king, stood nearby, watching without expression.

“Let’s get this over with,” he said, voice devoid of any warmth. I’d never seen him like this—no trace of pain or sadness, just a cold, flat look in his eyes, like he’d shut down completely.

“I