Page 41 of Acedia

“That might be why she let me in,” I mused. I wouldn’t put it past Verity to deliberately antagonize her mate—he’d been particularly overbearing since their disastrous little jaunt to the human realm.

“Menace,” he grumbled affectionately.

All I wanted was a beautiful, happy, dysfunctional marriage like Theon and Verity had. Maybe not quite as dysfunctional, but I wanted to be challenged the way that Verity challenged Theon.She’d made him a better Shade. Or had he become a better Shade because he loved her?

Alas, apparently it wasn’t meant to be.

“Are you more pleasant to be aroundbecauseof Verity orforVerity, do you think?

Theon shot me a disgruntled look. “I have always been pleasant to be around, which is why Verity chose me.”

“I thought you kidnapped her.”

“Why she chose meafterI kidnapped her,” Theon amended, incapable of admitting he was wrong.

Why my feet had carried me here while my wounds stung from Iris’s rejection, I had no idea. Nothing about Theon projected comfort and sane advice, and yet here I was. Perhaps I just wanted the counsel of an older brother right now, and Allerick had already lectured me once today.

I pulled out one of the low stools beneath his workbench—why would Theon have more than one if he despised company so much?—and fiddled aimlessly with the odd implements he kept lying around his workshop.

This wasn’t how I’d expected to be feeling this afternoon. I thought we’d be celebrating by now—possibly naked.

Now I felt… flat.

The thing that was sticking with me the most was that she said I couldn’t love her. That I didn’tknowher. Was that true? Did I really not love her?

Were these feelings because when I’d met Iris, for the first time, I’d seen a possibility of a future with someone, and I was merely upset that the possibility had been taken away? That she hadn’t wanted the same thing as me?

Or was this heartbreak?

As much as I often resented my title, I was the crown prince. Surely, finding someone that I liked enough to marry should have been the easiest thing in the world for me. Maybe I shouldoverthrow Allerick and become king? He hadn’t had a problem finding a bride.

Theon sighed dramatically, setting down his tools. “Why are you here? Are you having some sort of crisis? Can Allerick not assist you with this?”

“I thought you’d be wiser counsel,” I replied innocently. Nothing could be easier than playing my older two brothers off against each other—they were both so competitive. Allerick tried to be dignified about it now since they were friends, though.

Theon immediately puffed out his chest, a smug grin on his face. “A very astute observation, little brother. So, what is the problem?”

“I proposed to Iris today. She said no.”

“Which one is Iris?”

I sighed heavily. “The newest ex-Hunter to come to the shadow realm. You haven’t met her yet.”

He grunted. “Can you not simply find an alternative bride?”

“Would you have ever considered an alternative bride if Verity had said no?”

Theon scoffed. “What kind of ludicrous question is that? I kidnapped Verity, then put my bite on her neck the day she arrived so she simply could not leave me.” He paused for a moment. “Have you considered doing that?”

“Not even once.” Theon hadn’t actually done that either. At least, not the first part.

He shrugged one shoulder, picking up his tools again. “Well then, I don’t know how to help you.”

“Come on, Theon,” I groaned, slumping over the bench. “When I met Iris… I don’t know. I felt like she was the one. I really imagined a future with her.”

“Then simply find out whatever it is that’s preventing her from imagining the same.”

Well, that was easy. Iris had told me that herself. “She wants to find… a purpose in the shadow realm. To find out who she is. She seems to think a princess needs causes and wisdom and other such things.”

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