Page 188 of Unrivaled
“Seems to be.Should check, see if he’s got a heart.Pretty sure Luca doesn’t.”
“Not anymore, that’s for sure,” Callum said, laughing.“All right, you fucking liar.Pull off the mask and the shirt while you’re at it, prove you aren’t Luca.”
“You’re funny,” I said without a trace of mirth.
“Oh, come on, Chay,” Callum said, the words thick with mockery.“I remember our first night in La’Angi and how you just about ground your teeth to thegumstrying not to break Luca’s face while he talked about his poor, helpless wife-to-be.You don’t think you’re alittlebit stupid about this?”
“Don’t call him stupid,” Kadan said, giving him a nudge.“He’s just overwhelmed.”
“The Chay I knew got overwhelmed and made some fucking space,” Callum said, scowling at him.“Whose side are you on?”
“Audrey’s,” I offered, for Kadan.
“Looks like,” Kadan agreed.“Don’t worry, Chay—she doesn’t like blonds.”
I was so far from being worried it wasn’t even in the same province.I covered my face, feeling sick.There was no way I could explain to them the way she’d looked at me with love and how that had painted a target on her back.If we were still in that space, it wouldn’t just be her father she’d need to fear, but the Black Borough faction who were sniffing about, and the One knew whatLucawas capable of.
They’d feed her to the monster.She thought she could manage him when they tried.
She was wrong.
“Would she have you?”Kadan asked, the words soft.
I shrugged and finished off the cordial.Callum stood and filled my cup with wine.It didn’t seem like such a bad idea.
“Chay…we need the La’Angi army,” Kadan said.“The army needs a general.The state needs a leader.”
I looked up at Kadan.Seeing the light blue of his eyes without any laughter in them drove home the seriousness of what he was saying.
“Would she have you?”he asked again.
I hated the layers of meaning behind that question.“So I can rule?”
The two of them exchanged a look.“Why not?”Callum asked.
Why not.I set the wine down.These people were my friends.“You want me to marry her, then head your rebellion?I’m a nobody hedge-knight and we all know it.”And before they could object, I cut them off.“Even if Iwasn’ta nobody, and they wanted to dust off my old ties to Barloc, damned if I’m going to ask her to step into my shadow.”
“You don’t need to,” Kadan said.“There’s no reason she can’t be your equal.”
“If she’s my equal, why do you needmeto marry her and claim her army?”I asked him, fury fizzing in my veins.“I didn’t hold this city together, Dan.I didn’t take it from an economic disaster to a time of exponential growth.I’m not even sure what thatmeans.You want her?Then fuckingaskher.”
“You first,” Callum drawled.“I’m sorry.That was cheap.I take it back.”
“Too late,” Kadan sighed.“He’s right,” he said to Callum.
“She’s united La’Angi,” Callum offered, his brows raised.“They might consider it.”
“She’s not loyal to us,” Kadan said, the words quiet.“Even if they overlook that, she’s got no right to inherit.”
I stood, feeling sick.“I need to sleep.”
“Chay—”
“No.”I blew out a breath, trying to let go of any resentment before it set down roots.“I really do.”I paused.If it was the last time I saw them… I searched my mind for some sort of wisdom, something touching or important I could say.“She’s got a plan,” I said slowly.“You might not need to do as much as you think.And you mighthaveto meet her on her terms.If that’s how we next speak…over a table, with formal alliances…” The thought made me strangely glad.“Don’t make any shitty jokes,” I told Callum, resting my hand on his shoulder and giving him a quick squeeze on the way out.“And go to sleep,” I shouted, over my shoulder.“It’ll be morning soon, and our hospitality ends after breakfast!”
Just marry her, become the rebel king, take everything.I strode along the halls, frustrated at the suggestion.She can be your equal.You just have to let her be.I wasn’t fit to be a fuckingking.I wasn’t fit to be a general.I wasn’t fit to be a thrice-cursed blood-sworn champion.
Was I like Luca?
