Page 119 of House of the Raven
Despite Don Justo’s constipated look, I can tell he’s enjoying himself tremendously. It’s disgusting, really, though it has an advantage: he’s so lost in the attention and adulation he barely notices me.
After I spend half an hour introducing him to a mental list of people he seems to be checking off, he’s engaged in conversation with General Cuenca, talking about troop numbers and Castella’s effort against the veilfallen and the ruffian River.
I stand forgotten off to the side, and when I see the perfect opportunity to excuse myself Don Justo barely acknowledges me.
Breathing in relief, I snatch a glass of wine and step out into the small balcony reserved for Plumanegras only. Whoever’s idea it was to create these sorts of safe spaces throughout Nido… I love them!
I sip my wine, then set the glass on a small mosaic table.
“You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
Each word slides down my spine like a caress. I turn and face Bastien. He’s reclined against the wall in the dark. He takes a step forward and a beam of moonlight illuminates his face. My entire soul aches at the sight of him. He’s so devastatingly handsome.
The memory of his jaw sliding against mine flashes before my eyes, and that wanting ache that seems to have wormed its way to every corner ofmy body redoubles. I want to reach out and touch him, but he feels as distant as the Strait of Jabaltariq right now.
“I amnotgoing to marry him.” The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them.
“No, you are not,” he agrees.
My heart turns stupid and falls into a ridiculous daydream. He’s here to tell me he won’t allow me to marry Don Justo, to ask me if—
“But you won’t marry me either,” he adds, killing my daydream before it is fully realized.
“Who says I want to marry you?” I snap, hurt driving the questions out of my mouth.
He smiles deprecatingly. “The look in your eyes, I suppose.”
“Why are you acting like this?” Something about him seems altered, or perhaps he’s back to being himself, and it was last night that was different.
“I’m leaving,” he says with finality. “I’m transferring to Qadis.”
“What? Why? Is this my sister’s doing? Because I can—”
He shakes his head. “It’s not your sister. I asked for a transfer.”
The pain that tears through my chest feels like a thousand daggers raking down with vicious force. Last night, he was so tender, so careful, that he made me believe he cared.
All men are the same, Val,Jago has told me this many times, and his words come back to haunt me now.They get what they want, then they’re gone.
I’m such a fool to think that what I perceived in him were echoes of my own feelings, when all this bastardo wanted was his own selfish pleasure.
He never lied to you, Val, a derisive voice says inside my head.
Our exchange last night becomes clearer in my mind
“A bit selfish, don’t you think?”I said.
“This is not about altruism, princess. I want to fuck you. This night, you are mine.”
I focused on the wordminewhen I should have focused on the wordthis.
He was honest. For him, I was always a one-night encounter.
“I see.” My voice is steady, and I’m proud of my inner strength.
Yes, it hurts to find that I can be easily deceived, that despite my pluck, I’m still the child Father warned me about. But this isn’t the first time my heart has been shattered to pieces. I lost my mother and my father.
Bastien Mora is nothing compared to that.
