Page 18 of A Dagger of Ice and Intrigue
I’m just talking to him, I signed back, even as a strange sting crawled up my spine, settling at the back of my neck.
A wretched emotion I knew too well.
Doubt.
If people found out the First Daughter doubted her every decision, my entire reign could be threatened.
And all those doubts had started because ofhim.
My former fucking fiance.
The heartbreak had passed–more slowly than my pride would have liked and a worm like him deserved. But in thedepths of my despair, I hadn’t even noticed my confidence had dissipated along with all those naive thoughts of a happy future, leaving only uncertainty in its wake.
My gaze travelled up the aisle, past the Serpent guests waiting for their show and the Protectorate side bracing for the disaster. Sure, nobody looked particularly happy about this blessed union between our Clans, but their gazes were hungry for how it would all play out, fixed on the altar.
The grimaces, whispers, and head shakes were useless to stop this calamity.
But was it a calamity, though? Or was I worrying too much?
My cousins scowled from the front row. Dax even stared at Fabrian and ran his thumb across his neck in an obvious threat.
Yet none of them rose to stop the wedding.
Neither did Uncle Maksim.
Or my father, whose cautioning gaze didn’t let me go.
Hundreds of experienced Clan members were sitting on their behinds and letting this happen.
I was the only one who wanted to meddle.
Was I doing the right thing?
If I was wrong and intervened, Evie might suffer.
If I was right and didn’t do something, the same thing would happen.
I released a long breath, my muscles tensing painfully.
I needed a sign.
Any sign.
Until then, the mighty Huntress was held back by her own racing thoughts.
My father must have seen the change on my face, because his own almighty stare relaxed as he sighed and leaned back in his chair. It felt like another betrayal, though I didn’t know why.
“Don’t hurt Evie,” I muttered.
“I don’t intend to,” Fabrian said.
We both knew he was lying.
“Whyareyou marrying her?”
“Because I can.” That wretched grin of his grew. “I know how to protect my hide better than you.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
