Page 40 of A Broken Throne of Bronze

“Yes,” he says earnestly. “I’d like to court you, if you’ll allow it.”

“Court me?” This time, I do let out a snort. “Are you serious?”

“Perfectly serious,” he echoes, tightening his mouth.

“Why now?” I ask. Doing little to hide my suspicion, I narrow my eyes.

“My father, he—” Viridian pauses. His forehead creases with focus, as if he’s working to collect his thoughts. “Neither of us asked for this betrothal, yet here we are. I believe—I hope—there’s still time for us to be friends. Because I would rather marry a friend, than some human woman that barely knows me, and hates me anyway.”

I lean back and cross my arms. He looks at me with such hope, that it almost feels too cruel to crush it.

“If I agree to this,” I say, raising my chin, “then I want the locks off my door.”

He sighs, as if he knew this was coming. “Very well,” he says at last. “No more locks.”

I stare at him for a moment, mulling over his proposal. Though, despite how much I’d rather not spend time with him, I know it would be foolish of me to reject it.

“Fine,” I sigh, cursing myself for agreeing to this. “I’ll allow you to court me. But I can’t promise that I won’t still hate you once we get to know each other.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

Then, Viridian flashes me a smile. It lights something in my chest—a spark that catches and sends heat flooding through me.

I extinguish it with a single thought.

No. Not him.

Aggravation has me grinding my teeth. Why does he affect me like this?

“Walk with me,” Viridian says abruptly. He clears his throat. “Erm—will you walk with me?”

He watches me intently, practically pinning me in place with the intensity of his stare.

“Yes.” I look over my shoulder at my sketchbook. I’ll come back to it later.

He holds out his arm for me to take, but I don’t. Receiving the message, he lowers his arm and falls in step beside me.

Viridian and I walk downstairs. I expect him to lead me to the courtyard, but he doesn’t. We walk through the castle and turn past the kitchens, avoiding the area where he caught me poking around. He stops and opens a door for me, waiting until I’m through.

When we pass the stables, he leans his head back to soak up the sun. Inhaling, his expression relaxes.

“I’ve always felt more at home out here,” he says, looking over at me as we walk. “The castle walls…” His voice trails off.

“They suffocate you.” I know how that feels.

“Yes.” Viridian nods, amber eyes narrowing. “I know what you must think of me.”

“And what do you think I think of you, Your Highness?” I arch a brow.

Viridian trains his stare ahead. “That I’m some pig-headed, cruel, arrogant male. You said so yourself. And I’m sure the list goes on.”

It’s my turn to look away now.

“As much as I want to assure you that I am none of those things, I know words alone will not be enough.”

“Then how do you plan to woo me?” I ask. My voice is lighter than it has been for days—laced with an almost humorous quality.

Viridian’s mouth perks up. “Only with the grandest of romantic gestures, of course.”

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