Page 86 of Beast and Remedy (The Last of the Heirs #2)

Friendship

J ostling of my shoulder annoyingly wakes me. I pinch my eyes before peeling them open to Marian, Jules, and Christine standing over me.

“Did you sleep here all night?” Marian asks.

I lift my head. The view of my surroundings clearing and the crates, filled with the cure I spent all night preparing, come into focus.

My mood sours. “Does it look like it?”

Marian works her jaw. “There’s no need for an attitude, Vi.”

“There is when you all woke me up,” I bite back, unbothered by their presence and slumping into the comfort of my arms.

Everyone needs to go away.

“We only wanted to find you so we could get ready together for the celebration tonight,” Christine adds.

“And you really want me to join you?” I scoff. “We all know I’m not good company.”

“Why are you acting like such a bitch?” my sister demands.

“Marian!” Jules gawks, and Christine’s eyes widen.

I sigh, vexed and exhausted, and fully twist to my twin.

Her happiness has faded, her hands resting on her hips. Her words ring true and match the way I pushed Beau away last night.

I wave her off, not even wanting to be around my sister, let alone argue. “It doesn’t matter. Just leave me be.”

“Stop acting like a child,” Marian scolds, grabbing me and tugging me from the table. “Now come on, let’s go.”

“I already told you”—I shake her off—“I want you to leave me alone.”

Her nostrils flare. “Yeah? Well, I want you to stop acting like a bitch and start acting like the heir of Belmur.” She grimaces and stoops forward. “But we don’t always get what we want, do we?”

Marian’s hardened gaze bores into mine, fury and resentment evident in her puffed-out chest. The venom in her voice strikes me like an arrow, and I recoil.

I blink once, twice, almost waiting to see if she realizes what she said. But she doesn’t budge, doesn’t move. Rather, the anger she carries seems to grow, expanding as she scrutinizes me.

Am I letting her down in some way? Could she need me tonight with all the expected guests? But she’s always handled our roles better than I.

She’s never thrown anything like that in my face… ever.

Arching back, I regard her carefully. “Are you well, Marian?”

She hesitates, her expression softening before she blinks in confusion. “Of course I’m well, Vi.” She pokes my chest. “You’re the one acting unwell.”

“I’m fine. You’re the one with an attitude.”

“Well, since we’re both fine, I’m sure you now understand what it feels like to have someone direct attitude toward you.” She steps back, gesturing toward Jules and Christine, then the door. “So, can we please spend some time with our friends?”

I cross my arms, feeling like I need to protect myself—

No, you’re trying to protect them from yourself, Vi. Trying not to hurt them, too. But you know you will. It’s already started.

The air feels stuffy, dry, and suffocating as I shake off my dark thoughts.

I need to appear fine and talk with guests tonight. So many people will be in attendance. But I really don’t want to.

I’d much rather lock myself in here and avoid Beau at all costs. Then maybe Marian could tell everyone while Beau interacts and engages with the royals, as a host should.

But…

I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Can I meet with you in an hour?” I glance to the stockpile of medicine. “I need to wrap up a few things in here.”

My lie isn’t easy, but it’s necessary. I need to get my head on straight if I’m going to play pretend.

Marian takes in the room, contemplating before slumping. “Fine, fine.” She steps back, striding for the exit. “We’ll be in Christine’s room when you’re ready.”

Christine joins my sister, looking back with a tight smile. “Jules, are you coming?”

But my friend ignores her, studying me. Her brown eyes never leave mine. “I’m going to hang with Vi for a bit.”

“Alright then.” Christine shrugs, unbothered, and clanks the door shut behind her.

Jules takes the seat next to me. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I lie, turning to the workstation and reaching for the chanterelles from Palaena.

She watches me as I cut the base of the mushroom, getting the fruiting body and adding it to my mortar. Next, I grab the valerian from home and sugar beets from Torgem.

I score the plants and separate the roots. I gather the roseroot from Northtry and lavender from Unterkirch, plucking leaves from each.

“Does it have to do with Beau?” she asks.

I pause mid-reach for one of the clear glasses of his blood imbued with his magic. Swallowing and pretending to remain indifferent, I resume moving and add three drops of his blood into the bowl.

Grabbing my pestle, I prepare the ingredients for the next batch as I ask, “Why would anything have to do with Beau?”

She lowers her voice. “Maybe it’s because you are in love with him.”

I freeze, my eyes widening and my heart stopping.

She knows? How could she know ?

Beau and I have been careful ever since it began.

“ Me ?” I startle. “In love with Beau?”

“No, me in love with Beau,” she deadpans and blows out a breath. “Yes, I mean you .”

“I have no idea what you are talking about.” I huff a laugh, lying about a truth as true as my hair color and my heating cheeks.

“Come on, Vi. You think I didn’t catch the contraceptive ingredients you collected during our trip?”

“What are you talking about? I only gathered stuff for our cycles—”

“I make the same brew for Christine and me all the time. I would recognize those ingredients anywhere.”

I try to brush off her insinuation. “Maybe I was making it for Marian. I mean, come on, Beau and I can’t—”

Jules slaps her palm on the table, and I jolt.

“Don’t deny it, Vi. I’ve seen you two.”

My face falls, and it’s the brief falter in my expression that spreads her lips into a grin of pure victory.

Lowering my pestle, I twist to her. “Wh-When—what did you see?”

Jules kicks back in the chair, the two front legs lifting off the floor. She shrugs like she doesn’t know whether to share what she knows or keep it to herself.

“What did you see?” I demand.

She levels her brown almond eyes with mine. “It was ages ago, before your father banished us.”

“And you just now thought to tell me you’ve known this whole time?”

She snorts. “I thought you would have picked up on me trying to get the two of you together.”

I balk. “What?”

“Why do you think we all try to leave the two of you alone?”

Surprise ripples through me as I blink rapidly. “ Everyone knows?”

“Well, Marcel, Christine, and I know,” she says, completely untroubled before she adds, “Oh, and I’m sure Leo knows, too.”

Disbelief and utter shock have me slumping, wanting to bury my head and hide.

If they know, who else knows? And if Jules caught on when we were younger, does that mean we weren’t hiding it as well as we thought?

“Does Marian know?” Jules asks.

I fidget with my hands, my voice barely a whisper. “No. I’ve never told anyone.”

I wish I was shocked and relieved of someone finally knowing about Beau and me. Yet hopelessness, heartbreak, and sorrow awaken in my heart.

“And—” My lip trembles, unable to hide anymore. “And I’ve ruined everything.”

A choked sob escapes, and I cover my face, the swell of heartbreak erupting and my magic whimpering inside. I let the damning pain, the festering guilt, and the distressing anguish unravel again.

Arms wrap around me, and I shudder as she rubs my back.

With all my heart—all my soul —I wish I could smell his addictive citrus scent.

Taste the sweetness of his kiss.

Touch the smooth and rough parts of his skin.

Hear his steady, calming heartbeat match mine.

Feel his warmth and unwavering devotion envelop me.

I just wish I could feel him .

I cling to Jules tighter.

“You didn’t ruin anything, Vi,” my friend whispers, running her hands in repetitive circles, trying to calm me. “You didn’t ruin anything.”

Tremors take hold, my magic trying to quiet the internal destruction of my soul as she repeats the words, over and over, hoping to soothe my mind.

It doesn’t help.

“I-I-I pushed the only man I’ve ever loved out of my life.

And when he asked if our love was worth fighting for, I-I-I practically told him no .

” Tears soak my cheeks and her shirt, and I can’t stop stammering.

“I-I-I told him we couldn’t be together because my father would never allow it, and I-I-I didn’t know if the cost of fighting for our love was worth losing my only parent. ”

Each syllable is a struggle as I sniff. “I-I-I told him my needs and wants didn’t matter because I’m the heir to Belmur, and Papa would never be able to get past his belief that Beau killed my mother. He’s so fucking stubborn!”

I pinch my eyes shut, wanting to hiss and rage in my fury, but I withdraw from Jules and wipe my cheeks.

“He—he’s so stubborn, and I know without a doubt if we even found proof of Beau’s innocence, my father still wouldn’t believe it.

He’s spent so many years casting the blame on someone, pushing away the possibility of closure, and scolding us for trying to move on and heal after Mama’s passing. ”

A weight slowly lifts off my chest, power thrumming and rippling through my veins. I welcome it, letting the heat calm the ache clinging to my soul.

“I love Beau. I love my family. And I love my kingdom.” I take a long sigh, opening my eyes and hating the searing hot tears immediately blurring my vision.

“But to save Marian and give me time, I sacrificed my own happiness, agreeing to marry someone after the cure was made. All so Jean and Pierre wouldn’t run to Papa about Beau and you all coming into Belmur. ”

Jules’s expression falls.

I bite my lip, needing to stop it from quivering.

But my heart cracks more, the truth settling deeper into my bones.