Page 59 of War of Her Heart

I was shocked at the last little bit of information he had given me. Sebastian knew Calum’s father personally? And if that was the case, did Calum’s father have a part in this engagement? I had assumed that this was all Celine’s doing, but maybe I was wrong.

Maybe this engagement was planned far before mine and Calum’s relationship began.

Sebastian continued, “So I feel with the values of the Mountain Realm, they would never support Nathara’s claim to the throne. They would just want her to submit, lie on her back, and make little Mountain Realm babies.”

I grabbed the book sitting on the small table next to me and began flipping through the pages. I needed something to focus on. We sat in silence for a while. It seemed like we both weren’t sure what to say after what he had just told me.

I now understood what the most powerful and feared realm wanted with a marriage alliance with our realm.

The only thing Sebastian needed was to be rid of the headache that Nathara and Lilian gave him, and the Mountain Realm was the perfect place to send them to.

Even so, it would have been simpler to kill them. Sebastian wouldn’t have had to deal with unwanted guests in his home or had to plan and pay for a wedding for someone he didn’t care about.

The shadow king wouldn’t have given it a second thought. Nathara and Lilian would be long gone. Maybe therewasgood in him.

Or maybe he saw the Mountain Realm as more torturous to them than death. Two ladies being forced into a life of submission where they would have to be given permission from Calum before they did something as little as buy a dress.

That would make more sense. If Sebastian knew Calum’s father personally and they agreed on some things, that could mean that Sebastian viewed females as objects. Objects used to satisfy male needs.

I got up and walked over to the wall of books to my left. I ran my hands down the binds trying to keep my focus on anything other than what I was thinking.

But I just couldn’t help myself.

“Since you had a friendship with Calum’s father, do you hold the same values as him?” I asked, breaking the silence.

“If you’re asking if I feel that females are less than, I don’t. Females are just as capable as males to rule kingdoms and to lead armies in battle. The only time a female should submit is . . .” he paused as he stood up and closed in the distance between us, “in the bedroom.”

He looked down at me and watched me squirm as a grin crept across his face. He knew what he was doing. He knew what to say to make me uncomfortable.

“Why do you always do that?” I narrowed my eyes.

“Do what?” he asked innocently.

“We have a normal conversation, and you say something like that to make it inappropriate,” I said, crossing my arms.

“Are you that naive, love?”

Butterflies formed in my stomach at his response. But before I could give it a second thought, I said, “I’m . . . with Calum.”

“And do you think he is the one that you can truly be happy with? As his mistress, while you watch him for the rest of eternity be in love with Nathara?”

“He doesn’t love her,” I blurted out before I could stop myself.

“What?” He asked, taking a step back from me.

“He’s faking it. Nathara and Lilian found out Calum had a lover. Calum overheard them talking about how when they figured out who it was, they would kill her. So Calum started to fake being in love with her so they would stop looking for me.”

“So does he expect Nathara to immediately submit and not try to hurt you when you get back home? I know she will have to eventually, but she’s headstrong and it will take some time.” I stayed quiet for a moment too long. Sebastian’s eyes narrowed as he said, “What else are you not telling me?”

I looked down as I felt the tears form. I didn’t understand how I always got myself in positions like this with him.

“I thought we were past this,” he said as he gently grabbed my chin, forcing me to look back into his eyes. I knew I couldn’t lie to him.

A few tears fell from my eyes before I said, “Calum isn’t planning on following through with the marriage.”

“He doesn’t have much of a choice in that, love.” Sebastian stared at the tears on my cheeks before he raised his thumb and gently wiped them away.

“He’s the reason I know about your weakening powers. He overheard someone talking about it and he is trying to find theobject. He hopes that you two can form an alliance without the marriage and that would be enough to satisfy Queen Mother and his council to get his throne.”

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