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“Mind if I cut in?”

Mikale stood before them as the song came to a close. Finn’s eyes darted to Callan, who had been intercepted by Lady Veda. “Of course, Lord Lairwood,” Finn said, stepping back and bowing to the young Lord.

Scarlett narrowed her eyes at Mikale as he once again took her hand and began leading her around the dance floor.“Well, have you considered my proposal?”

“Of marriage? You can shove it up your ass,” she answered sweetly.

Mikale clicked his tongue. “You know, when you become a Lady, you will need to learn to control that language.”

“I am no Lady,” Scarlett sneered.

“Not yet,” Mikale said unfazed, spinning her around. “But you could be. Leave his side, Scarlett. Come to mine, and let my sister take his.”

“So that’s what this is about?” Scarlett said. “Your sister cannot compete with me?”

“Let me make something very clear,” he said, pulling her roughly to him so there was little space between their bodies. She could feel his muscled chest beneath his tunic, and his breath was hot on her face as he whispered into her ear. “There is no competition. Veda will be his queen. This is your chance to step back or force our hand.”

“Are you threatening me, Lord Lairwood?” she hissed back to him.

“I do not make threats, only promises,” he replied. He pressed a kiss to her cheek and left her standing on the dance floor by herself.

Callan found her a moment later, and they spent the rest of the night dancing together, the prince refusing to dance with anyone else. Shortly before midnight, they snuck from the Great Hall and made their way to his suite. The door to his rooms had barely shut before he had scooped her into his arms and carried her to the bedroom. Their time together that night had been desperate and full of all the unsaid words between them. It was tongues clashing and teeth scraping. Her dress was stripped from her in a matter of seconds, and she couldn’t unbutton his tunic fast enough. He set her on the bed, his pants and boots being flung across the floor.

She lay with her head on his chest afterwards, letting the rise and fall of it steady her. His fingers stroked her hair, and he kissed her brow. Some time later she rolled from his embrace and found her dagger discarded near her dress, pulling her tonic vial from where she had stashed it next to the sheath.She swallowed it, but instead of going back to the bed, she went to the window, grabbing a blanket and wrapping it around herself as she looked at the dark sky. There were so few stars visible tonight.

“I will never tire of seeing you in my chambers,” Callan said, coming up behind her. He had slipped into loose pants, and his arms came around her waist.

She swallowed, her eyes fixed on the endless night sky. “Callan, about what we discussed earlier tonight…”

She felt him tense behind her. “I do not care what my father or mother say. They do not get to decide whom I love nor whom I marry.”

“But they do,” she said, turning to face him. “I know you are not this naïve. You are too well read now that you’ve been provided proper reading material.”

A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “Then I shall marry in secret before they have a chance to stop it should it come to such things,” he answered.

“I cannot be your queen, Callan,” she said, bringing her hand to his cheek and running a thumb along his cheekbone.

“You are already my queen,” he replied, gripping her hand and pressing a kiss to her palm.

“You know what I mean. I am not made to sit on a throne and hold court. This would be a cage for me.”

He pursed his lips, stepping back from her. “You would find a marriage to me to be a cage?”

“I would find being bound to a throne to be a confinement I do not wish for,” she argued in response.

“To have the world laid at your feet? You would find that confining?”

“I do not wish to have the world laid before me! I wish to be in the world, in the shadows. I wish to be free.” Tears were slipping down her cheeks.

“I told you this evening that I love you. Do you return the feeling?” Callan demanded now.

“You do not love me, Callan. You love the idea of me,” she answered gently.

“You do not get to tell me how I feel about you, Scarlett,” he snapped. “Enough people tell me how I should feel or act. Do not become one of them.”

“I should go,” she said, making to step around him and find her dress.

“Go? You just took your tonic. You cannot go,” Callan said, stepping into her path.