Page 60 of War of Her Heart

He paused for a moment before he said, “Do you honestly believe that if I can’t find the object, that he will be able to?”

His question forced me to think about something that I had tried to push away for so long. Something I knew deep down, but didn’t want to admit to myself.

Calum wouldn’t find it.

He would marry Nathara.

25

Chapter 25

Violet

I left the library without saying another word to Sebastian. He was right: I had been living in delusion. It was only a few short months before Calum would have a wife, and I would officially be his mistress.

That was, if Nathara allowed it.

Even if she became a lady in the Mountain Realm, she would be the Sovereign’s wife and as I’d seen with Celine, they had more control of the castle—and the fae within it—than the Sovereign himself.

Not to mention Celine would back her.

I may not even make it a week back home before I had a “tragic accident.”

Now wasn’t the time for me to dwell on this, though. It could wait until tomorrow.

I went to my room and grabbed the dress I had set aside to wear to Lulenacht before heading to Bronwen’s room. When we talked about the ball, she asked that I come to her room to get ready so we could be each other’s escorts. I didn’t object because walking into a ball alone filled with beautiful fae ladies sounded like a nightmare. At least if I went in with Bronwen, everyone’s eyes would be on her, and I could hide behind her.

Lulenacht gave me an uneasy feeling. From what Bronwen told me, it seemed like a worse version of the balls I’d never been allowed to go to back home.

At least I didn’t have to worry about the ladies flirting with Calum.

Just Nathara.

Even so, I still didn’t like the idea of the ball. I would have preferred to stay in my room and attempt to pretend like it wasn’t happening, but the thought of not knowing what was happening or . . . or who he chose as his favorite lady of the night would kill me.

Fuck.

How did I go from Calum to him?

When I walked into Bronwen’s room, I realized this wasn’t going to be like the times before when we got ready in her room.

There were two chairs set up with faeries standing around.

“There you are!” Bronwen said as she stepped out of her bathroom.

“What is all this?” I asked.

“This is the biggest event we have every year in the Night Realm. Fae from every realm come here, so we have to ensure that we look better than them.”

Bronwen motioned to one of the faeries, and they grabbed me and pulled me into the seat before they began working on my hair.

Another faerie began painting my face, which was something I wasn’t used to as I only wore minimal makeup at home.

I had never been pampered like I was today, but I could get used to it.

Once we were ready, Bronwen and I stopped by my room so I could take my medicine. She gave me a look but didn’t say anything. It didn’t matter; I knew what she was thinking.

Drums echoed through the hall, growing louder as Bronwen and I got closer to the doors of the ballroom. A pit formed in my stomach at the thought of walking into whatever was behind those closed doors.

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