Page 125 of The Twisted Throne

The second she was clear of the doors, her stoicism crumbled, her breath coming in too-fast gasps as she headed to her room, every part of her wanting to run.

“Ahnna!”

His voice was a punch to the gut, and her control snapped. Snatching her skirts up higher, Ahnna broke into a sprint.

“Ahnna, wait!”

She reached the grand staircase, taking the steps two at a time, then she was racing down the corridor. Her room was no haven, yet she ran for it anyway, needing to be away from everyone.

Needing to be away from him.

Then hands caught her around the waist. James lifted her off her feet and pressed her against the wall. She shoved him away, nearly falling as her heel caught on the gown.

“Ahnna, I didn’t know.”

“Liar!” she screamed, then pulled her arm back and punched him in the face. Pain blossomed across her knuckles, but though she might well have cracked his cheekbone, James barely swayed on his feet.

“Would you listen to me?”

“You listen to me!” Her hands remained in fists, blood dripping off the knuckles of her right hand. “I trusted you with everything, and you used that information against me by telling your father Ithicana was weak. You knew how important this was, not just for Ithicana but forme.Youknew,and still you—” She broke off, unable to say it. “You watched me make a fool of myself trying to be everything William wanted while youfuckerssecretly conspired to wed him to Lestara!”

“I didn’t know about his plans to wed Will to Lestara,” he replied. “I was as much in the dark on that as you.”

“You think I’m such a fool to believe that you didn’t know there were plans for William to marry yourcousin?” She pressed her hands to her face. “Of course you think that. I believed every other bloody word that came out of your mouth.”

“Ahnna, I didn’t want this.” James caught hold of her wrists, pulling her hands from her face. “This wasn’t what I was trying to accomplish. My father…He’s more obsessed with avenging my mother than I knew. He doesn’t care about trade or any of the things I fought for, only for destroying Amarid, and he’s giving my uncle everything he wants in order to achieve it.”

She jerked her wrists out of his grip. “Maybe that’s so,” she hissed. “But it doesn’t change that you made me yours with lies on your lips. If you come near me again, if any of you come near me again, I’ll kill you all. I swear it.”

Stumbling over her skirts intoher room, Ahnna slammed the door in his face.

James stood staring at the wood of the door, stomach twisted with nausea, feeling like the whole world had spun out of his control.

“Sir? Is the lady in her rooms?”

He turned to see the guards he’d dispatched to the ramparts approaching at a trot. “She is,” he answered, seeing them taking in his rapidly swelling eye. “Keep guard, but don’t disturb her.”

“Yes, sir.”

James started walking down the corridor, his stride increasing along with his anger, because he and his father would have words. Not just words about his choice to marry William to goddamnedLestarabut also how he’d humiliated Ahnna in front of everyone.

But before he reached the ballroom, a servant intercepted him. “King Edward is in the study, my lord,” the man said. “He wishes to see you.”

Through the open doors, James could see William dancing with Lestara, seemingly entranced by her. A thousand little pieces fell into place, and he felt blind not to have seen it, and he silently cursed Keris Veliant for delivering to Harendell the final piece needed to secure an alliance with Cardiff: a bride.

Switching course, James stormed through the Sky Palace, slamming the doors to the study open so hard they rebounded off the wall. “What the fuck are you thinking?”

“Have a drink, Jamie,” his father said, shoving a glass into his hand. “And calm yourself down. I’ve already had to listen to Alexandra scream in my face for marrying her son off behind her back, and I’m in no mood for more of the same. Especially since today has given you everything you wanted.”

“What part of this did I want, Father?” James snarled. “The part where you use what was supposed to be an alliance of peace to pursue a war? The part where you marry William to my murderous cousin? The part where you humiliated the finest woman I’ve ever met, and very likely shattered the relationship with Ithicana beyond repair? Do tell, which part of that did I ever askfor?”

His father sighed, then reached out to raise the glass in James’s hand to his mouth. “Have a drink and I’ll explain.”

James only glared at him. “Give me a good reason why you want Lestara, who once sacrificed all of Vencia in pursuit of Maridrina’s throne, to be Harendell’s queen, and I’ll drink your stupid drink.”

“I can’t,” his father said. “Because I don’t. Lestara will never be queen, James. Nor will your brother ever be Harendell’s king.”

Shock radiated through to his core, and despite himself, James took a long mouthful of the bright-purple drink.

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