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Shaking off the sting, I reset my smile. The presidents and my father took their seats in the front row with Eleni. Lukas had opted to stand over by the door, leaning casually against the frame.

I shot him a smile. It was by no means impressive that he stood to the side, knowing when to give me the floor, but it warmed my heart all the same.

Nodding at Sabina, I cleared my throat and began. “Thank you all for gathering here today to celebrate Lady Minerva’s ascension as patron of this University.”

Chapter 24

Lukas

Daphne commanded the room before words ever left her mouth.

Just her posture—her back straightening—had the room quieting and turning their attention toward her. And when she started speaking…

It was magic.

And not just because of her power.

Her voice in my ears was the equivalent of sugar in my morning coffee. I couldn’t drink my coffee without it. I couldn’t go through life without hearing her speak.

I fought the urge to close my eyes, to give all the energy I put toward sight into my hearing just to magnify the sound of her voice. I didn’t really want to lose the view of her either.

Even as I took every inch of her in, guilt slithered through my core. She looked so comfortable here.

It was something I couldn’t quite shake—the realization that this engagement stole this from her. The life she could have had.

The husband she could have chosen…

Anger burned away the guilt at the thought. She was forced out of her role as goddess to marry a second son, for the love of Zeus. If Nikolas hadn’t abdicated, she would have been trading this for a life as a soldier’s wife.

Sure, now she would be the goddess of the sea, but did she love it? The way she loved this?

And withmeas the consolation prize. It didn’t matter that I wanted her—loved her—with a ferocity I hadn’t thought possible. What mattered was her happiness. I thought I’d made her happy once, as a friend. The reason I’d never escalated it, no matter how badly I burned to, was the fact that she’d been forced with me.

But some sick part of me was thankful. Because at the end of the day, I had her. She was mine.

And I was a selfish bastard who couldn’t stomach the idea of Daphne with anyone else. I would try anything I could to make her happy, to satisfy her, on my own.

The night she left, hope was the only emotion that eclipsed the near feral arousal. Hope that we could be together. That same hope had been rising slowly in the past few days.

Now that I knew what Daphne’s desire looked like, I knew how to spot it. Her breath would hitch when I touched her. Her eyes would go a little wide. A blush would climb up her neck.

I’d been seeing that blush more often. Was seeing it now, as Daphne kept sneaking looks at me.

I was sure I was staring at her like a possessive maniac. But more than one man in this room was looking at her like she turned their palms sweaty.

That wasmyfucking fiancée. I didn’t care how much of a territorial asshole that made me.

I could stew so long as I didn’t make it her problem.

She seemed just fine—apart from the blush—as she wrapped up her speech. “I know that Lady Minerva will be an excellent patron. We have always valued the pursuit of knowledge, no matter the object, above all. I trust you all see how Lady Minerva supports that. So, again, it is my father and I’s honor to introduce Lady Sabina Minerva as the new patron goddess of this University. Thank you.”

I started clapping before I knew whether that was appropriate. Daphne’s eyes snapped to mine as everyone joined in.

“Thank you, Daphne,” Sabina said, steeling her own shoulders for her speech. “And thank you, Lord Athena, for your continued dedication. I’m excited to serve you all.”

Daphne walked over to me, giving Sabina the floor as she launched into her speech. Everyone was listening just as intently as they had to Daphne.

“Everyone seems happy,” Daphne whispered.