Page 107 of The Throne Seeker (Vallorian #1)

A n hour later, Rose stood next to her mother, Roman, and Xavier, all huddled together while couples swirled around them on the open dance floor.

Tristan and Satin were among them, doing a remarkable job of pretending to be a cheerful couple for the court, even though Rose was acutely aware of his frequent glances in her direction.

Her gaze drifted to the balcony, where every pillar had a guard surveying the crowd, anticipating something—anything. But no such threat had appeared. Still, she remained vigilant, scanning faces for any hint that something was amiss.

Roman and the others followed suit. Even the king, despite appearing as if he’d been dragged through hell, remained on the throne above the sidelines, overseeing the celebration.

“I don’t like this,” Roman said next to her, disgruntled, glaring at the lingering stares. “Every single man in this room is looking at you like you’re the next course.”

Rose knew it, no matter how much she tried to ignore it. She could feel the room’s curiosity for her, the stares reminding her of the men at the tavern. She shifted uncomfortably in her stance.

“I could say I told you so, but it seems so repetitive,” Xavier said on the other side of Roman, taking a long drink of wine.

“I can’t hide under a cloak forever,” she said, which was true enough.

“I could’ve used a few more days of it,” her mother muttered next to her.

She knew Roman and Xavier would agree.

Harriet was on the dance floor, swaying with an attractive young man, exchanging soft whispers and playful smiles.

Rose recognized him but couldn’t remember his name.

He belonged to a House of even lower status than Rose.

Harriet was absolutely out of his reach.

But it appeared Harriet paid no mind to that, drawing him closer.

Perhaps Harriet had a secret beau after all.

As the night wore on, Rose attempted to pretend she was enjoying herself, but the sheer number of emotions swarming threatened her sanity. A migraine quickly set in, making her realize that crowds were her worst nightmare.

Roman noticed her distress, intertwining his pinky discretely with hers.

With his touch, she was able to focus on him. The overwhelming emotions in the room faded into the background like white noise. Her stiff shoulders relaxed. She stepped closer to him.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

“I’m fine, just… don’t let go,” she whispered.

He leaned down to her ear. “Never,” he whispered, risking a discreet kiss on the neck just under her ear—the very spot where he kissed her at the Snorri.

Out of nowhere, Xavier straightened, mumbling something about needing another drink. He’d seen. Rose was about to open her mouth to protest, but Xavier was already on his way over to the tables.

“Would you like to—” Roman was cut off as a beautiful blonde appeared.

Rose immediately let go of Roman’s hand.

“You’re back!” Beth said, her blue eyes bright, solely set on Roman. “I was starting to get worried. I’m ever so sorry to hear about your mother.”

“Thank you,” Roman replied, his eyes softening. “Would you like to dance?”

It took Rose every speck of self-mastery to keep her siren contained. By some miracle, she retained her composure, keeping her face clear of any negative emotion as she stomached the interaction.

Beth’s face brightened at once. “Of course.”

Roman glanced at Rose, asking for permission.

She did her best to push her insecurities aside, giving him a small smile. What could one dance hurt?

“You don’t mind, do you, Rose?” Beth asked, her looking her up and down with a disapproving glare as if to ask why her permission was needed.

“Oh, of course not.” She forced a wider smile.

With that, Roman grasped Beth’s hand and guided her onto the dance floor. Rose folded her arms and sulked.

“She deserves a conversation, Rose,” her mother said, looking at the pair sympathetically. “Her soul is about to be crushed.”

At last, it clicked. Rose’s eyes grew with realization as she looked back at the couple.

Beth was still under the impression Roman had come back for her.

Guilt crept in. She was selfish. Greedy and selfish.

Any and all friendship she’d had with Beth was now completely ruined.

She had never intended to steal him from her. He’d just… snuck up on her.

Before long, her mother was also whisked away by a dance partner, leaving Rose alone on the sidelines.

She tried not to be irritated by Beth’s besotted gaze as she ripped her gaze from them, craving a distraction. She was about to get a drink when she realized her mistake. Countless eyes were fixed upon her—leering, eager, longing to dance with the siren.

She was about to run for it when a familiar feminine voice stopped her. “Leaving so soon?”

Rose took a mental breath before she turned to face Satin, giving her a bright smile. It was an effort to make her muscles move. “Just going to get a drink. Would you like one?”

“No, thank you,” Satin replied sourly. “I don’t need anything from you.”

Rose nodded and began to turn away. She intended to ignore the dig, but then her siren—or perhaps another darker aspect of herself—overpowered her.

She moved closer to Satin and spoke in a low voice.

“I understand why you’re angry with me. I get it.

Truly. But this continued hostility towards me is starting to get old. ”

Satin stepped towards her, lowering her voice so only she could hear.

“Tell me,” Satin said, her voice so cold it could have given her frostbite.

“Have you ever fallen instantly for someone you thought was the one? Be so blind as to marry him, feeling like the luckiest girl in the world, only to find out he’s in love with another woman?

The same woman you thought was a friend?

To have to find out on your wedding night, making love to one another when he cries out her name?

” An angry tear spilled out of her soft brown eyes.

Rose was so stunned she couldn’t reply.

No. No, he wouldn’t. Tristan wouldn’t think of her when they… when they…

She was going to be sick.

“You should’ve told me,” Satin said, betrayed.

“You shouldn’t have led me to believe there was nothing between you two.

Looking back, I know I should have seen it myself.

Why else would he feel obliged to save you in the third challenge?

All of you took my naivety for gullibility, and now I have to endure a loveless marriage with a child I’m not even sure he wants. ”

Oh, Rose, what have you done?

“I’m sorry. I should’ve told you,” she admitted. “But he’ll love your child. He’s wanted nothing more than to be a father.”

Satin glared at her with intolerant eyes. “You can offer me no such false reassurances.”

“We don’t need to be enemies, Satin,” Rose said, looking for any sign of a white flag. “I know we have our differences. I’m not asking to be your best friend, but can we put it aside and at least be civil?”

Satin eyed her for a long moment, giving her hope she was at least considering her words. But then her soft face turned unsavory as a sneer slipped through. “We could be the last two people in Vallor and I’d still choose to die alone than be civil with you.”

Rose recoiled at the raw animosity. Deep down, she felt pity for what Satin had gone through.

Just as she had made Tristan marry Satin, she’d made Satin marry him.

Holding on to such deep resentment would be a heavy burden—with a child, no less.

So she did her best not to hold it against her, but that didn’t mean she’d stick around to let Satin demean her.

Rose was about to leave when another voice intervened.

“Satin,” Tristan said, cutting in. His expression was stern, making it clear he’d heard. “You’ve been up and about a lot this evening. Perhaps we should sit down.”

Satin folded her arms. “I’ve had enough. I’m going to bed.”

“I could come with you,” Tristan offered, stepping towards her.

But Satin pulled back. “No. I don’t want to be anywhere near you— either of you.” With that, she strode away, clutching her stomach with tenderness.

Rose waited until Satin was well out of earshot before she spoke. “Tell me it’s not true,” she whispered. “Tell me you didn’t call out my name on your wedding night.”

Tristan’s eyes darted to hers as surprise filled them. His silence and crestfallen expression gave her all the answers she needed.

Her siren gloated on the inside. The fact made her mouth go rancid, repressing the disgusting feeling.

“No wonder she hates me so much,” she muttered to herself.

“I was drunk out of my mind,” Tristan admitted. “I should never have slept with her, but she wanted it so badly. And I felt guilty I even agreed to marry her at all… I often wonder what our marriage would be like now if I had just managed to keep your name off my lips.”

Rose didn’t know what else to say except, “I’m sorry.”

He shook his head at once. “You don’t need to apologize… but you could dance with me.” He stuck an arm out, his dazzling blue eyes shining at her.

She would’ve refused him if it weren’t for the men lurking to catch her alone.

And to her annoyance, Roman was still occupied with Beth, both in a heated conversation now.

Her siren’s blood boiled at how Beth held his face in her hands.

Rose fought the urge to go and take a handful of Beth’s hair and?—

She faced Tristan, shoving down the horrible thoughts. “Alright.” She took his hand, letting him lead her to the middle of the room.

He twirled her playfully before pulling her into his arms as a small smile played on his lips. That smile was a stab to her heart.

A reminder of what could have been.

“I haven’t had a chance to thank you,” Tristan said, “for what you did for my mother, I know she didn’t make your life easy. And to sing like that… it was an incredible gift.”

She gave him a small, gracious smile. “Of course.”

Silence fell over them for a few bars before Tristan leaned in closer. “You look incredible,” he said, his voice tender. “It reminds me of how you looked the night we camped on the beach.” His lips lifted into a reminiscent grin. “Do you remember?”

A smile slipped out despite herself. “You mean when you set up the tent too close to the shore and it nearly took us both out to sea? I was scared out of my mind, but for some reason I could only laugh when we got back inside. I’m sure we looked like drowned rats scurrying back to a hovel.”

Tristan let out a harsh laugh. “And then I walked you back to your room… It was the first time I kissed you.” His eyes lowered to her lips.

Without warning, she was flooded with a vision of the memory.

She was standing as close as they were now. Her heart beating out of her rib cage as she stood in the dark corridor with water dripping off her dress onto the stone floor, waiting for him to close the gap. He slipped his hand into hers, lowering his lips, and worshiped hers for the first time.

She was thrust back into the present just as her siren began to rise to the surface, urging her to close the space between them like they had then. To feel his skin on hers. Let him take her back to his roo?—

She immediately slammed an invisible wall down, fleeing from the lust.

Tristan, however, picked up on the subtle change, knowing her all too well. “You still feel something for me,” he whispered as he searched her face. “I can see it in your eyes.”

“Stop it,” she snapped, not liking the insinuation.

His eyes hardened. “What, I’m the only one who can’t look at you like that? You think Xavier looks at you any differently?”

She returned his glare with full force. “He isn’t married. You are.”

“And whose fault is that?” he retorted, coming closer, his ocean-blue eyes attempting to drag her back out to sea.

Rose dropped her arms, her heart grinding into dust as she said, “Mine… completely and utterly mine.”

Before he could say another word, she fled, retreating so quickly that she barely heard him call out her name. She avoided eye contact with the onlookers as she weaved through the couples.

But as she did, she was struck by a surge of energy so consuming her feet skidded to a stop. It was the most powerful aura she’d ever encountered.

And she’d felt it before.