Page 102 of Dueling the Suitors

A smirk curled his lips. “But your face says something else entirely.” He moved his hand in the air in a strange motion.

Astoria’s palms burned. She shrieked, and the crumpled paper fell from her hold. It floated towards Orion before she could stop it. He snatched it and smoothed it over with his magic, and his eyes widened as they ran over Cyrus’ words.

“He’s awake,” the man muttered to himself. “And he knows.” His mad eyes snapped to her. “How?” At her defiant silence, he demanded more forcefully, “How,girl?”

Astoria chose silence.

Wizard Orion might have realized there was no point in shouting at her. He stepped out of the room, slammed the door shut, and thundered downstairs. Not long after, the door flung open, and a mad-looking Rowan burst in.

“What did you do?” He advanced towards her and grabbed her by the arm. “You just have to get in the way, don’t you?”

Astoria tried to jerk her arm free, but he was stronger. Sure enough, there was a bruise forming. If someone had told her two days ago that Rowan would cause her a bruise, she would have laughed in their face.“Sweet, optimistic Rowan?”she would’ve asked.

She still couldn’t believe the Rowan she had known was merely the mask of a villainous man.

“You underestimated me, Rowan,” she seethed, glaring back at him boldly.

“And you underestimatedmeif you think forewarning Cyrus gives him the upper hand.” He snorted angrily. “Not as long as you are the leverage. Speaking of which, are you ready to be our bargaining chip?”

Not waiting for her answer, he pulled out the same object from his pocket and muttered in a strange language. “Orion, it’s time!” he called out before stepping into the glowing portal, hauling her behind him.

Astoria shielded her eyes as she followed him in. All too soon, she felt the change in the atmosphere. Voices surrounded her, but they soon dropped into pin-drop silence.

Astoria looked up. From the opulence that met her eyes, she realized they were in the throne room of her palace. Guards and lords stood along the wall she faced, gaping at her and Rowan, just before a powerful voice shook the air.

“Rowan!”

Astoria whirled around at his voice. Rowan’s grip on her arm tightened.

Cyrus stormed down the steps of the dais with a murderous look on his face. He looked thinner, but dangerous. So deadly that Astoria’s heart stuttered.

“Get your hands off my wife!”

“Uh, uh, uh…” Rowan sing-songed. She heard an unsheathing sound, and the next moment, a knife was pressed against her neck.

Cyrus stopped dead in his tracks, terror mixing with the anger blazing in his eyes as they locked with hers.

“Now, let’s talk.”

“Let hergo,Rowan…” Glowing lavender-grey threads covered Cyrus’ fists.

“Come on, Cyrus, you know how this works,” Rowan tsked. “One wrong move, and I slit her throat.”

“If you hurt her—”

“Truth be told, I don’twantto hurt her,” Rowan interjected with a faux sigh. “So, why don’t you cooperate?”

Suddenly, there was a clank behind them, the unmistakable sound of a dagger hitting the floor. Astoria wanted to turn, but she could barely even breathe with the knife to her throat.

Rowan laughed, looking over his shoulder at the guards. “Which of you fools thought you could throw a dagger at me and solve this as easy as that? I’m standing here with a years-long,well-thought-out plan, and there is nothing you can do to stop me—especially you!” He turned back to Cyrus.

“Oh, really?” Cyrus’ eyes were on the knife Rowan held to Astoria’s throat, even as he challenged him, saying, “We can have a combat to see if it’s just your fantasy or not.”

“I didn’t say I’m more powerful than you, you fool. Sometimes, all you need is some brains, if not more powers, to outsmart your enemy. Right now, I have my leverage right here.” He shook Astoria, and for a moment, she thought the blade was going to dig into her skin. “Come on, it’s either your mother and sister or your wife. Choose wisely because you can have only one.”

Astoria caught Cyrus’ gaze and moved her head from side to side in a subtle shake. His eyes narrowed on her before snapping to Rowan. “Why are you doing this, Rowan?”

“Finally, you asked it.” Rowan sounded bored. “The throne was supposed to be mine before you usurped it.”

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