Page 23 of Legacy of Glass
But Olivia turned away from him, crossing to the edge of the terrace and back again, apparently taking his sudden calm as a bad sign.
“This is outrageous!” she exclaimed, pacing back for the second time. “The Legacy is a mindless force. It doesn’t know what’s best for the kingdom! Why should it be allowed to control our lives? First it makes me a servant, and now it’s making me a princess—and I get equally little say in either fate.” Her voice dropped. “I never should have left Henton.”
“A servant?” Julius stared at her in horror. “You’re a servant!?”
Olivia’s eyes narrowed, her fury turning on him. “Do you have an issue with servants, Your Highness?”
Julius frowned. “If you mean do I have an issue with their existence—of course I don’t.”
“No, I imagine not,” Olivia said contemptuously, gazing out at the vast manicured gardens shining in the moonlight, before turning to look at where the warmer light of the ballroom spilled through the glass doors.
Julius stiffened, his manner becoming formal. As usual, Olivia had gotten under his skin, causing him to behave unlike the charming prince he was trained to be. He had lowered his guard and forgotten himself. He needed to be more careful.
“You seem to be laboring under a misapprehension,”
he said. “I have no objection to the lower-ranked members of my kingdom—I wouldn’t even object to falling in love and marrying one of them.”
Olivia’s eyes snapped back to him, her brow creasing.
“But I did not fall in love withyou,” he continued, frustration creeping into his formal tone, despite his efforts. “I agreed to an arranged marriage because it would bring wealth and influence to the crown—wealth and influence that could be used for the good of Sovar and all its people. If I’m going to marry someone without a single resource or material advantage to her name, surely I should at least be able to choose her for myself!”
Olivia looked taken aback, and he expected her to erupt again. But instead her gaze dropped, her expression thoughtful rather than offended. Perhaps even she was forced to concede he had a point.
“You talk about not having a choice,” Julius continued, driving the point home. “But pray tell, what choice do I have? If my parents are demanding we go through with a betrothal, you could refuse them. You could turn your back on their wishes and return to Henton, leaving this whole farcical situation behind. I have no such luxury. I must stay here and do what is best for Sovar.”
He built up steam despite his resolution to remain calm. Why did Olivia have that effect on him?
“You must have had the same choice about becoming a servant,” he added. “If you don’t like being a servant, you could leave and find another job. You’ve always had a choice.”
Her chin rose, and she stood facing him, her eyes flashing, apparently undaunted by their comparative ranks. Clearly he wasn’t the only one who let his emotions get the better of him when they were together—yet another reason why a betrothal between them was a terrible idea.
“So if we refuse a betrothal, it could cause untold damage to the kingdom?” she demanded, her voice quivering with anger. “So much damage, that you couldn’t possibly refuse your parents’ wishes. And yet I am free to walk away? Do you truly believe only princes have any sense of responsibility? Do you really think I would feel free to go home and leave countless others to suffer for my decision?” Her voice calmed and turned cold. “I may not have been born to rank and wealth like Marigold, but apparently I have at least one advantage. Their Majesties seem to think I’m an excellent funnel for the Legacy’s power, and if I need to use that for the kingdom’s benefit, then I will do what needs to be done.”
Julius had been listening to her with narrowed eyes, his stance rigid. But at that, his eyes widened.
“Of course,” he breathed.
He had been too distracted by his own personal perspective. He should have seen the full significance of her being a servant at once.
He strode over to the edge of the terrace, stopping at the stone railing that ran along its length. No wonder his parents were contemplating betrothing him to a stranger. It wasn’t just the glass slippers or the attention he had given her at the ball. If Olivia was a servant, she was far too perfect a fit for the original Queen Ella. The power of the Legacy must be pouring into the palace already. What would happen if they flouted it and turned her away?
But even so. Making a stranger into Sovar’s future queen was going too far. He gripped his hand into a fist and pounded it once against the railing.
Chapter9
Julius
“Julius!” His mother’s voice pulled him from his thoughts, and he turned to see her rushing down the terrace toward him, his father at her heels.
“There you are!” she exclaimed. “But where is Lady Marigold? And where is Olivia? She ran off before we could stop her, and we didn’t want to make a scene in the middle of the—” She stopped as she caught sight of Olivia. “Oh, there you are, child. But where is Lady Marigold? We’ve just spoken with her parents, and they claim to have no idea.”
“But Lord and Lady Emerson aren’t here,” Olivia said, sounding confused. “That’s why Marigold was coming on her…” She trailed off, presumably finally realizing the truth.
Marigold’s parents already being at the ball and Marigold traveling there alone was all part of the tradition surrounding that particular Midsummer Ball. He was sure they had regretted the necessity given their daughter’s tendency to outrageous behavior. But even they couldn’t have imagined…
Julius clenched his jaw and passed his mother the crumpled paper in his hands by way of explanation. She took it and read quickly, his father reading over her shoulder.
“What?” she exclaimed before she had even reached the end. “In love with someone else? Doesn’t want the betrothal? What is this nonsense?”
