Page 25 of Daman

“I regret nothing.” He looked at me, briefly, before dropping his gaze again. “You’re right about one thing though. You are very pretty. Beautiful, actually.”

A laugh bubbled up from my chest, and I set my mug aside. Why the hell was I laughing? I felt a little dazed and antsy, like I wanted to flee but also stay right there beside him. My body warmed from the inside out, as if the flames jumped out of the pit and seeped into my skin, gathering in my core.

In fact, I was burning up.

“I should, uh, find the queen.” I stood from the rug. “She still needs my measurements for the suit.”

“Very well.” Warrin rose as well.

“See you later?” The question was dumb. Of course I’d see him later.

He nodded once.

I left his bedroom and slumped against the wall in the corridor, hand going to my chest. My heart was beating like crazy. As I continued down the hall, I realized I was smiling. I forced the smile away, but it surfaced again when I reached my room and plopped down on my bed.

No one had ever made me feel like this before.

I felt giddy. Excited, even. But with the momentary elation came something else too. Dread. And reality came crashing back down on me.

“You’re not the one he really wanted,”Envy whispered in my ear. “Others are more beautiful than you. Kinder. Funnier.”

“Stop.” I gritted my teeth.

“Galen and Simon married for love. So did Castor and Kyo. You’ll never have that, so don’t fool yourself. This marriage is a joke.”

The backs of my eyes burned with tears as I curled up and put my arms over my head, trying to block out the vile words I could never escape. No one would ever make me more miserable than I made myself. Happiness was an illusion. For me, anyway.

Chapter Four

Warrin

The day before the wedding, the rest of Daman’s family arrived. I remembered each of their names and faces from the time I spent at their mansion a few months ago, but the only two I truly knew were Kyo and Castor.

“I’m surprised you haven’t run for the hills yet,” Castor said, clapping me on the back. “Has Daman given you a hard time with his sassy little attitude?”

“No.”

“That doesn’t sound like him.” Castor chuckled.

I wished Damanhadgiven me a hard time. It would’ve been better than how he was treating me now.

Three days had passed since the morning we sat by the fire in my room and talked. Since then, Daman hadn’t spoken to me much. He sat beside me during meals but refrained from initiating any sort of conversation. And afterward, he shut himself inside his room. It confused me. Things had been going well between us.

Had I said something wrong? Pried too much into his life?

Bellamy had told me to give him time, that he’d come around. But something was different about Daman. It was as if the fire in his eyes had dimmed, his spirit right along with it.

“It’s so cold!” Gray exclaimed as he hopped out of the back seat. He wore a puffy blue coat that was almost as big as he was and fuzzy white gloves, and his blond hair jutted out from beneath his cat-eared beanie.

“That’s ’cause you don’t have any meat on those bones, smalls,” Raiden said, grabbing their luggage from the trunk.

Galen helped Simon out of the vehicle and guided him up the stairs, hand on the human’s lower back. Simon was bundled up from head to toe in a down hat, scarf, thick gloves, and a coat even puffier than Gray’s. He smiled over at me as they passed to head inside the castle.

“Galen’s so protective of him.” Castor shook his head. “Made him wear two layers of pants too. I swear, he’d put Simon in a bubble if he could.”

“Meanwhile, you don’t care if I freeze,” Kyo muttered, running his hands together before blowing into them. “Asshole.”

“But I’m your asshole.” Castor wrapped Kyo in his arms and nuzzled his cheek. “And I do care if you freeze. A Kyo popsicle sounds good in theory, but I’d rather have you all hot and bothered.”