Page 22

Right now, Torin’s mother, Ábria, is still recognized as a princess of Cara, but she has no official power since her husband, the O’Grady by blood, died. In Cara, the king and queen have equal power while they rule, but when the O’Grady leaves the throne, their spouse steps down as well.
Torin grits his teeth. “Except that I don't want to leave again.”
She shrugs. “Then I guess we might as well set a wedding date.”
I watch them volley this back and forth.
So he wants to be king, she wants to be queen, and the only way for that to happen is for them to get married. Which Torin doesn't want to do.
I think he's crazy. This gorgeous, intelligent, sassy woman who will actually be an incredible queen is willing to marry him. How terrible would that really be?
“What's the real problem here?” I ask.
Strangely, Torin and I have not talked about this. Not in depth. He told me that he doesn't want to marry her. And I've been picturing a snotty, bitchy woman who won't let him make any choices and thinks she's better than him.
That is not the impression I now have of Linnea.
I don't think he’s opposed to marrying her because he doesn't like or respect her. Something else is going on.
“I want to do this now. I will be a good king.”
“Not without help.”
He takes a step forward. “And that's it. You believe everything my grandfather has told you. That I need your help. That I can't do this on my own. That you're the key to all good things for Cara.”
She takes a step closer to him. “Yes. You haven't been here inten years. You don't understand this country. I have been here. I have been dedicated. I have been learning. This has been my entire focus since I was four years old! Even when I thought I was going to marry Declan, he left, and I was in limbo for a decade until you came back, and then I suddenly had to shift my entire mentality aroundthis, I have not wavered.”
Torin takes a second to respond. Because…she’s right.
“So you think you would be better at this than I will,” Torin says.
“At leading Cara?” she asks. “Absolutely.”
Torin takes another step closer, and my body tenses.
“I want the throne,” he says firmly. “It ismyfamily’s legacy.Iwant to do this. And I wanthimto give it tome. Not to you. Notus. I want him to give it tomebecause ofme.”
Linnea studies him for a moment. I can read the tension in her body. But I’m struck by how she seems to be searching his eyes.
Then she says, “You have a lot of work to do then.”
Her words aren’t harsh. They’re…true.
But Torin scowls. “Linnea?—”
He takes another step forward, and that's it. I step in. “Enough.” I don’t say it loudly, but I say it firmly.
Their eyes snap toward me. Torin is frowning. Linnea's eyes are wide.
“You both need some time to cool off.”
Torin looks at her, then back to me. “We've been having these conversations without you for a year.”
“Well, I'm here now.”
“You have an opinion about this, I take it?” Torin asks me.
“You know I do.”