Page 27 of Dueling the Suitors

Astoria stood from her bed and approached her writing desk. She tore a piece of parchment and scrambled her response in angry letters.

You wish!

Then she burned all four notes and sent him the ashes along with her note. She waited with a tiny, triumphant grin. When hisnewest response appeared on her bed, she flicked her wrist and made it float to her.

It seems I should keep them instead of you. Thank you for sending them back, Princess. And, my, what lovely handwriting you have! I cannot wait for the day I see you write my name in such elegance. As short as it is, at least I managed to get a response from you. It’s not every day a man has two victories. I must be very lucky.

Astoria wanted to scream in her frustration. She burned the note. Instead of sending the ashes to him, she sent them to her fireplace, like she should’ve done in the first place.

* * *

Astoria walked to the dining room on Emmett’s arm that evening. Silas—herbrother—walked on her other side. They strode in silence until Silas cleared his throat.

“I am sorry about today.”

Astoria decided to pretend she didn’t hear him until Emmett nudged her side pointedly.

“Thank you.”

In her peripheral view, she caught him glancing at her. “If you still think I’m ecstatic about the idea of having you away from home, I must admit I’m utterly uncomfortable with the idea of you marrying a total stranger, now that it has come to it.”

Astoria met his gaze so she could see if he looked as sincere as his words sounded, and the sincerity in his eyes startled her. For a moment, she just stared, groping for the appropriate response. “Thank you, Silas.”

Silas nodded and shifted his gaze to Emmett, a business-like manner replacing the sincerity in his eyes. “I propose we look up this man’s background. We cannot let justanybodymarry our sister.”

That…that was the first time he had ever used the phrase ‘our sister’. Astoria closed her eyes for a moment, trusting Emmett’s lead, as her heart warmed towards Silas for the first time. She tried to etch the memory into her brain so that one day, she could recall this brief but beautiful moment with the brother she wished things weren’t always so rocky.

“I am on it already,” Emmett said.

“And you didn’t bother telling me?” Silas’ tone hardened. Before Emmett could answer, he continued, likely realizing why he wasn’t told about it. “Never mind. Is there anything I can help with?”

“You can join me in the library after dinner.”

Astoria saw him nod through the corner of her eyes. A strange urge tickled her chest. She summoned every ounce of courage she had and looped her other arm through Silas’, his hand stuffed into his pocket.

Silas stiffened and spared her a glance. Astoria met it with a tiny smile and pulled him to walk closer. He neither stopped her nor smiled back. Astoria kept her face forward and pretended she didn’t feel like bouncing with excitement.

Little Astoria would’ve done that.

When they finally reached the dining room, Silas still hadn’t freed his arm from hers. He was stiff, but it was still progress.

Astoria bit her lip to keep from smiling in triumph as the doors opened and they walked in together. However, the sight that greeted her turned her smile into a scowl.

There he sat, Mr. Silas, the reason for her doom today.

He met her scowl with a smirk, amusement dancing in his eyes as he stood in greeting.

She ignored him, though not before noticing his change of clothes. He no longer wore his ragged and torn clothes but black linen button-down, paired with slim pants. And his previously unkempt beard was trimmed.

Silas—her brother—let go of her arm and gave her hand a gentle squeeze before he dropped it. Astoria glanced at him, her heart squeezing over at such an act of affection from him, the first one she had ever had. He went around the table to take his place between Marcia and her betrothed.

The king called for a toast to his future son-in-law once everyone was seated. They lifted their glasses, her brothers doing so lazily and simply for the sake of dignity. Astoria stared blankly at her empty plate. After the first course was served, the king and Marcia struck up a conversation with Silas, asking him about his life as a street performer and why he chose such a life when he was so much more powerful than most Mages in existence.

“I love what I do, Your Majesties,” Silas said. “I’ve never considered my powers anything more than a part of me, not something to be used for social benefit. And I love travelling, exploring new places, people, and things. So, for my living, I decided being a street performer was fitting.”

“What about your family? Where are you from?” Silas—her brother—questioned him before Emmett could.

Astoria felt her betrothed’s gaze on her, but she kept her eyes glued to her plate.

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