Page 85 of War of Her Heart

“To Sartova.”

My eyes widened at his response. “To hervacation home?”Was he fucking kidding me right now?

“Yes. She will not be allowed back at the castle. You’ll never have to see her again.”

“So her punishment is to live eternity in her favorite place with an entire staff of servants?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

“What do you expect me to do, Violet? She’s my mother.”

“And what am I? Your whore?” I wanted her punished. Not sent away.

“Violet.” And in his response—in his choice of “punishment” for his mother—I had my answer.

“I’m done,” I said the words before I could stop myself, but I meant them.

“What?” He looked at me confused.

“I can’t do this anymore.Usanymore.” I motioned between the two of us.

“So that’s it? All this time and it’s just over?”

“All of this time, and you still can’t choose me over her. You can’t put me first. You’ll never be able to put me first,” I paused. “I deserve better. Better than the life I’m destined to live by being with you.”

“Dammit, Violet!” Calum yelled. “It was going to be me and you forever. Remember? What happened to me being the love of your life?”

“You were the love of my life, Calum, but the Violet you loved died when she watched the life leave Astrid. Your mother killed her. She killed the closest thing I ever had to a mother. I will never be the same.”

“So what are you going to do? You have nowhere to go. Your home is with me. Your father is bound to me. You have no family besides him. You have nothing to your name.”

Nothing. That’s truly what I was to him.

Nothing but convenience. A convenience locked away in his castle for him and him only. Nothing but an object. An object to screw whenever he pleased. Nothing but a female.

“I am going to stay in the Night Realm,” I said as I fought back the tears.

His eyes widened. “So this is about Sebastian?”

I shook my head. “This has nothing to do with Sebastian.”

“Oh, really?” he said as he stalked towards me. I didn’t realize I was backing away until I hit the wall. He leaned in so we were only inches apart and said, “Violet, look me in my eyes and tell me Sebastian has nothing to do with your decision.”

I stared back at him, unsure what to say because I didn’t know the answer. If it wasn’t for Sebastian, I wouldn’t have been put in a position where I was questioning Calum and our relationship. I wouldn’t have known what Celine did to me.

But that’s not what he meant.

I glanced down, and I felt Calum’s fist hit the wall inches from my head, breaking the stone wall. He had never acted like that towards me.

Before I could process what he just did, Sebastian was in my room; he grabbed Calum by the neck and slammed him into the wall opposite where I was standing.

“Are you looking to die, Mountain boy?” Sebastian said as he walked over to him.

“Sebastian!” I screamed, but he ignored me as he grabbed Calum by the throat and pushed him up against the wall.

I knew what was coming. When Sebastian sensed danger, nothing could stop him. He embodied the shadow king, and it was like he became a different being. But he couldn’t hurt Calum. I could never forgive him for that.

“Sebastian, please!” I whispered, barely audible as the tears fell down my face.

In an instant, he let him go but before Calum could react, Sebastian’s shadows wrapped around him. He stood there for a moment, staring at Calum as he clenched his fists.

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