Page 58 of War of Her Heart

“One day your eyes are going to get stuck like that.”

I shot him a glare.

“You should be spending any free time you have trying find the object that’s draining you instead of putting your nose where it doesn’t belong,” I said, looking back down at my book.

“Are you worried about me, love?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” I snapped back.

Something crossed his eyes, but he didn’t say anything.

“Can I please get back to reading my book in peace?” I asked, breaking the silence.

“Sure,” he said as he turned to the bookshelf right next to him and grabbed the first book he saw. He then took the seat directly in front of me before he opened it and started reading.

I waited for a moment, watching him to make sure he wasn’t going to say anything else before I started reading again. Nothing irritated me more than being interrupted while I was deep into another world of a book. After he seemed to have read a couple of pages of his book, I slowly opened my book and began reading where I had left off.

“I never asked you how your little shopping trip went with the witches.”

Before I could stop myself, I slammed my book shut and threw it at him. He caught it inches from his face, never taking his eyes off his own book.

“Was it not a good book?” he asked while bringing his eyes to meet mine with a look of concern.

When he saw the look I was giving him, the worry left his face, and he quirked a real smile.

I was reacting exactly how he wanted me to. I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t let him have the satisfaction. I remembered what he had asked me and decided to answer him before I let his little game aggravate me anymore.

“It was hell, which was expected. But what I didn’t expect was Bronwen showing up.”

“Oh, you saw Bronwen?” he asked, bringing his attention back down to the book in his hands. “Strange.”

My eyes narrowed as I said, “She told me you sent her.”

He stopped flipping through the book at my response but kept his focus on the book.

“You told me you’d protect me, so you sent her. Did you think they would hurt me?”

“I wouldn’t put it past them,” Sebastian mumbled.

“Why didn’t you just kill Nathara and Lilian after you killed your father?” I asked. I didn’t even know where that came from. Their deaths would have made my life a lot easier. I wouldn’t be in the position I was in right now if they were dead. But would I really wish someone to be dead?

He brought his gaze to meet mine as he said, “Nathara was still in infancy. Do you really think that low of me that I would kill a faeling?”

With the look he gave me, I instantly regretted what I had asked. “No, I don’t. I’m just angry at my life. Why didn’t you just send them away, then? You could’ve sent them to Lilian’s home realm.”

“I’d rather have my enemies close to me. Where I know everything that goes on.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Nathara is the true heir. With her here, she has no connections, no one that would dare to go against me. If I sent her away, that would risk her gaining allies and she would attempt to come for me.”

“Do you not suspect Nathara could be behind your weakening powers? If she wanted the throne, that would give her means to hurt you.”

“Nathara and Lilian were the first I suspected, but they have done nothing but focus on this engagement since Calum’sfather died.”

“I just don’t understand. If you don’t want her out of your control, why would you make a deal for her to marry Calum?”

“Because the Mountain Realm does not believe in female Sovereigns. While every other realm’s line of succession goes to the firstborn regardless of gender, the Mountain Realm doesn’t believe a female has any claim to the throne because they are only meant for breeding and taking care of the house. Calum’s father was the only ally I had. He believed that even if I wasn’t legitimate, I was the only male heir, so it was my right to the throne.”

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