Page 108 of A Vow of Embers

Dolion looked at me, as if he wanted to offer me his hand but wouldn’t in front of the prince. My husband also didn’t seem to have any intention of helping me as Rokh had Ahyana. I stood up on my own and brushed my dress down. I was grateful that I hadn’t had any accidents and everything had remained covered.

The prince got to his feet and didn’t make any attempt to touch me or smile at me. He apparently wasn’t currently interested in his ruse. He turned his back to me and then spoke over his shoulder. “I’m going to sleep in the barracks tonight.”

Then he stormed off with Dolion right behind him. Rokh kissed Ahyana’s hand one last time and then ran off after the other two.

It was then that I realized just how angry my revelations had made the prince.

We had physically fought and still shared a bed.

Now he was so mad that he couldn’t bear to even be in the same room with me.

And I was surprised at how sad that made me.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Ahyana slipped her arm through mine as we walked back to the palace. She was telling me about her day with Rokh but all I could think about was what had just happened with Alexandros.

I understood that he was protective of Io. I was, too. But she could hold her own. She wasn’t helpless. He behaved like she was made of glass and one slight bump would shatter her completely.

Quynh had asked me to consider his side, how I would feel if he had put her in danger. I knew I would be angry. But those two situations were not the same: Quynh didn’t have any kind of training. She couldn’t fight. Io could.

But he hadn’t put my sister in danger, even though I’d believed that he had. Instead he had gone out of his way to protect her.

“I don’t think you’re listening to me,” Ahyana said, tugging on a lock of my hair to get my attention.

“I’m sorry. I’m just caught up in my own thoughts. What were you saying?”

“Nothing, other than I met the love of my life today.”

“That’s a bold statement,” I said with a smile. “You just met him.”

“It didn’t feel like that. He wasn’t a stranger to me. It was like finding someone I had lost.”

I knew exactly what she meant. The first time I had seen Alexandros, it had been recognition. His soul calling to mine. Like I’d been waitingmy entire life to discover him. I had been under his spell since that day, no matter how hard I tried to fight it.

And I wanted to fight it. I didn’t want to be weak and risk my nation’s well-being, my sisters’ safety, because of the attraction I felt for him. But it was overwhelming and powerful.

“Magnetic,” Ahyana said, as if she could hear my thoughts. “Like he’s pulling me to him and I can’t resist.”

“I know what that’s like. And let me be a warning to you, because look how it’s turning out for me. And Zalira.”

She shook her head and just gave me a secretive smile, as if she knew something I didn’t. “Did you see how many rings Rokh was wearing? He’s so stylish.”

I hadn’t noticed at all. But I did know that Alexandros wore his wedding ring on his left hand and his signet ring on his right.

“Rokh gave me one,” she said, holding her right hand out. The ring was far too big for her middle finger, but she didn’t seem to care.

“Ahyana! What does that mean?” Had she betrothed herself to the man while I was arguing with the prince?

“He just wanted to give me something. A token of his affection. It doesn’t mean anything. Not like your ring. Which does mean something.”

I lifted my left hand. My simple ring, which I had thought was an insult, to show me how little he valued me. “Why do all of you push me toward the prince? Encourage this?”

She was uncharacteristically silent for a few moments, as if gathering her thoughts. “I don’t want you to be offended.”

“I won’t be. You can speak honestly.” I really did want to know why.

Ahyana sighed and came to a stop, turning me toward her. “Despite what you say, it is very obvious that you have feelings for him.”

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