Page 179 of Rebellious Royals

"Besides that part," I said. "Wilder, you're the heir. Doesn't that mean the threats will fall on you now?"

"No." He waved off my concerns. "You, Hawke, and Rain serve as witnesses to the change in inheritance. We needed that to make it official, but otherwise?" He shrugged. "No one needs to know, Keir. See, that's the thing. The magic always knows. Plus, Torian isn't worried about the threats. He's worried about what happens if - and in my opinion it's a slim chance - he fails. If anything happens to Aspen, our fight would've been over. Our whole plan to make this shit better? Gone. But if the crown goes to me, Torian's out of the equation. Nevaeh is now closer to inheriting than Torian is."

I nodded, rocking my head as I did my best to digest that information. "I don't get how it works. How can he go from the heir to not even being in line?"

"Aspen to me," he explained, "but then from me, it goes tomybloodline. Cousins, nieces and nephews, and so on. See, I'm not closely related to Torian, but I do have some long, twisted, complicated relation to Aspen - on both sides. More maternal than paternal though, which is what makes it work."

"Royalty is fucked."

He laughed. "More than you know." Then he leaned back, slumping down in the chair a bit. "So, speaking of Torian, what's the deal with you and him?"

"There's not one."

He gave me a tired look. "And?"

So I pushed myself up, turning so I was facing him. "Aspen's convinced he's into me. I'm not as sure, but he keeps..." I paused, trying to find the right words. "Doing things."

"Like kissing you?"

"Like that," I agreed. "Looking at me when I come out of the shower. Being a dick the next minute. You know, normal Torian things."

"He's lonely."

I twitched in place because that wasn't what I'd expected Wilder to say. "What?"

"Torian," Wilder clarified. "He had his panic attack - and I don't know what else to call it - because he flirted with some girl who started spouting the same shit as one of those Silent assholes we came up against."

"Ok?" Now I was even more confused. "What does flirting with a girl have to do with me?"

"Lonely," Wilder said again, the corner of his lip curling, proving he was being a prick on purpose. "In his mind, everyone else is pairing up. Too bad for him, pair is the wrong word."

"There's that," I agreed. "Although I think Rain's the only one with a trio."

That raised corner turned into a full-blown smirk. "And you."

"Look." I pulled in a breath, trying to choose my words carefully. "So, I know there's some attraction between us. I also know he's not giving me any signs. Wilder, he's..."

"Hiding his insecurity with bravado?" Wilder offered. "Trying to run through all the possible outcomes in his head to make sure he isn't ruining things before he makes a move? Has been taught not to risk anything if he can't control it completely?"

"Yeah," I grumbled, getting the point. "That."

"This time, Keir, being considerate is doing neither of you any favors." He glanced over at the wall for a moment, then back. "Ok, and I may have skipped over the real issue. Are you into him?"

I rocked my head from side to side. "He's hot. So physically? Yes."

"And the rest?"

"That's where it gets harder," I said. "Torian's... not exactly open. The truth is I'm not sure I really know him that well."

"Only Aspen does."

Which wasn't helping me at all. "Ok, but how can I answer your question without having some clue of who this guy really is?"

"He was born on sheets adorned with golden thread," Wilder said. "He was swaddled in silks. The first view he ever had was of the kingdom he was supposed to rule - and the 'adoring' subjects cheering his name."

"That doesn't sound like Torian," I pointed out.

Wilder chuckled. "So you know him better than you think. Those sheets were his mother's. The silk was strong enough to strangle him in the crib. The subjects were threatened to cheer or die - and he knew it. Every memory he has is laced with the poison of that bitch. If not her twisting his luxuries to feel more like threats, then it was the abuse she heaped on him for not being inherently perfect at all times. Dropped his fork? He spent a week in a dungeon. Didn't get an enchantment right the first time he was shown it? Lashes with the royal scepter."