Page 110 of Shadow Witch

“Devon belongs with me. I have been raised to be his bride, his princess. Not this…common interloper.”

“Hey!” Paige said.

“Yeah,” Dewey answered, fluttering forward to hover next to Drucinda. “Paige may be common, and she may be an interloper, but still…she has every right to be a princess, too.”

“Dewey!” Paige growled through clenched teeth. “I’m not an interloper.”

He shot a glance over his shoulder before he shifted his focus back to Ivy. “Right. She’s common, but has every right to be a princess.”

She shook her head at him as the argument raged.

“I don’t care,” Ivy said. “He’s mine. She has no right to this wedding. I demand to know why the pact between our families has been broken.”

Dominic rose from his seat and stepped in front of Drucinda and Dewey. “My deepest apologies to you and your family. But my son has made his choice. I cannot force him–“

“Oh, come now, Dominic,” Marion answered, “there are ways to ensure this pact was honored.”

Dominic’s jaw clenched as he stared at her. “It’s over, Marion. I am sorry. While I had hoped to join our families, it simply did not work out.”

Marion’s nostrils flared as she glared at him. “No, it isn’t. I demand this be rectified and my daughter be rightfully restored to her place as your son’s bride or–“

“Or what?” Dominic demanded.

“Or this will be an all-out war between us. And I don’t think you want that.”

Paige swallowed hard. Had they come this far only to lose at the last minute with the Delacroix’s power play?

She shot Devon a panicked glance. He looped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer. “It’s okay, Paige. No one is going to stop us from getting married.”

“Sounds like she’s really trying to,” Paige whispered.

“Not going to happen, I promise.” He kissed her cheek before he strode forward to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with his father. “Bring your war. We’ll crush you.”

Dominic slid his eyes sideways to his son, his eyebrows raising.

“Don’t disagree, Dad. You’re always saying I need to take my rightful place, and I am. I’ll be the next leader in this family. And I plan to rule with an iron fist.”

“Or a very foolish one,” Marion answered. “It’s decisions like this that will cost you, Devon. Your father should know. Perhaps he can explain it to you. Sacrifices often need to be made to cement your power.”

“I’m not sacrificing anything. We don’t need you to remain at the top of this pyramid. Now, get out of here and take your pouty daughter with you.” Devon jabbed a finger toward the door.

Marion’s jaw clenched as she set her features in stone. She shifted her gaze to Dominic. “You are still the head of this family, are you not?”

Dominic met her gaze, his eyes steely as he wrapped an arm around his son’s shoulders. “I agree with…”

Paige held her breath, wondering if he was about to break it gently to Devon that he’d have to marry Ivy. Would she soon be dragged from the altar and tossed into the street?

Dominic shifted his gaze from his son back to Marion. “Devon. As beneficial as an alliance between our families may have been, it is hardly necessary. In fact, it’s more beneficial to you than us. I’m sorry, Marion, but this is over.”

“You’ll regret this, Dominic,” Marion growled before she clamped a hand onto her daughter’s arm and spun to leave the chapel.

“But, Mother–“ Ivy shouted before her voice faded down the hall.

Dominic sucked in a breath as he adjusted his tie. “Sorry for the interruption, everyone. Let us proceed with the wedding.”

He waved at the minister as he took his seat, and everyone returned to their places. Paige blew out a shaky breath when Devon stepped next to her again.

“Told you everything would be okay,” he said with a grin.

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