I went to the jug on the desk and poured two glasses. When I offered her one, she hesitated before taking it.I drank until my glass was empty before replacing it on the desk. “Feeling any better?”
Her eyes flicked to mine, glowing ever so slightly like silver stars. Did they always do that in the dark, or was it the drink? “Worse.”
She must’ve had at least a bottle and a half on her own. How she drank that rot was beyond me. I could barely stomach our own liquor, let alone the shite the faeries brewed.
“Thank you for the water. I’m ready to return to my own chambers,” she announced, setting the glass on the bedside table and smoothing a hand down her ivory skirts.
“Your chambers have been given to Lord and Lady Stanton.” My cousins had made the four-day journey from Bishopstown for Alrec’s wedding. Instead, they had attended his funeral and watched me steal his bride.
His kingdom.
His life.
Roisin’s eyes bulged, and I swore I could taste her panic as she clutched my quilt. “Where are my things?”
“Being moved.”
“Moved where?”
“Some of your dresses are in there.” I pointed to the second armoire that had been added only yesterday. “And the rest will be stored until our new rooms are prepared.” When my father was gone, we would occupy the king and queen’s suites. Until then, we would stay here.
“Ourrooms . . .” She shot to her feet, catching herself on one of the mahogany bedposts. “I cannot share a bedroom with you.”
The clenching in my stomach turned to a deep, sharp ache. “You will have your own chambers if that is how you wish to live.” I would never force her to do anything she wasn’t comfortable with. Although I hoped eventually she’d stay with me. My mother and father had shared a room until the day she passed. We were far from a love match like they had been, but in time, hopefully we would find our way.The kingdom would need heirs, after all.
My heart sped at the thought.
She started shaking her head, wide eyes searching the darkness. “I want my own chambers now.”
Hadn’t her mother explained to her what would happen after we wed? At eighteen, she should know what transpired between a husband and wife. With my face burning, I cleared my throat and said, “It is expected . . .” No, that wasn’t the right word. “What I meant to say was, it is customary for a husband and wife to stay together on their wedding night.”
The choked noise she made sounded like a dying cat. “We may technically be married, but I am no more your wife than you are my husband. Everything I promised you today was a lie,” she slurred, narrowing bloodshot eyes at me. “I hate you.”
“That may be so, but we are married. And with that comes certain responsibilities.”
She backed toward the wall, knocking the locker on her way past. The glass fell to the ground, spilling water across the carpet. “If you touch me, I will scream.”
Even in my worst temper, I had never been violent toward her—or any woman. When she and her friends threw food at me, called me names, I took it. When they attacked my character in front of an audience, slandered me to my peers, I bit my tongue.“What have I done to make you think I would force you to do something you don’t want to do?”
“I know about you and Lady Whitney.”
Memories crashed into me like a fist to the jaw. Dark hair. Violet eyes. A warm smile and honey-sweet voice. “Who told you about Lady Whitney?”There were only four people in this world who knew about what had happened to her. Only three of them knew the truth. And one of them was dead.
“Your brother,” she sneered, her hands balling into fists. “The only man I’ll ever love. The one I should’ve married.”
Did she really think it necessary to remind me at every turn that I wasn’t supposed to be here? That this shouldn’t have been my wedding night? That the throne belonged to someone else? Thatshebelonged to someone else?
“And what did yourbelovedAlrec tell you about Lady Whitney?” It obviously wasn’t the truth. Because if it was, she never would’ve fallen in love with him.
“That he had to save the poor woman from your unwanted advances—had to pull you off of her. And when you resisted, he broke your jaw.”
Did her foolish love for my brother really make her that blind?
I stalked forward, ready to unload the truth about what had happened that day.Until Roisin flinched. I shrank back. The woman appeared genuinely terrified.
“At least now I understand why you hate me.” What other lies had he whispered these past four years? Could that be why she’d chosen him over me? Why hadn’t I fought harder to win her affections? Why had I given in so easily?
He’s the heir.