Page 38 of Dueling the Suitors

“What?”

He didn’t answer. Astoria didn’t press him either, trying to figure out what had gone wrong.

If their powers were magnified, theywouldknow it. Everyone in the room would. That was what was said in the book Wizard Orion brought her father over a year ago.

Since it hadn’t…

Had she pledged herself to a stranger for the rest of her life… for nothing?

9

The Glaring Bride

Astoria wished she had run away last night when Jasper didn’t show up, instead of returning to marry Silas. Emmett would have helped her, and she could have come back after her father’s death.

In fact, she shouldn’t have let pride or fame cloud her judgment in the first place.

Now, as she danced in her new husband’s arms, all she had were regrets. She should have taken the chance when she had it; now, she could never have the freedom she wanted. She was bound to a man for the rest of her life. Even if she did run away, he would find her. The magic binding them would lead them to one another.

“You know,” Silas’ quiet voice snapped her from her thoughts, “brides are supposed to blush on their wedding day, not glare. Is my beautiful bride determined to set a new trend of being aglaring brideinstead of ablushing bride?”

Astoria turned her gaze on him, sharpening her glare. “What did you mean back at the altar when you said you never wanted the magnification to begin with, but only me?”

Silas’ lips twitched at the corner. “My, my, Little Dragon, are you interested in my thoughts?”

Irritation gnawed at her chest at the nickname, and she ground her teeth to keep from making a retort. Getting into a verbal spar with him wouldn’t get her answers. She should play fair.

“Maybe just this once.” She softened her glare but maintained the ire in her voice. She didn’t want to make it obvious that she was putting on an act to get his answer.

He raised a dubious eyebrow. If he saw through her façade, he didn’t say it. “Very well.” He sighed. “You’re not going to like my answer, but since my thoughts have garnered your interest this once, who am I to deny you the pleasure?” He leaned towards her ear and whispered, “How about I tell you when we retreat to our bridal chambers?”

Astoria gulped from both his breath brushing her ear and the mention of the bridal chambers. The ‘talk’ Marcia gave her against her will that morning came to her mind. Her stepmother had apologized that her biological mother wasn’t here for this talk and that she was honored to take her place because she had always considered Astoria her own.

Astoria, though she remained silent during the ‘talk’, shoved Marcia’s hand away whenever the woman tried to give her a reassuring touch and scowled when she gave her a motherly smile.

The moment Marcia left her alone, she swore to herself that if Silas were to touch her unnecessarily that night or any other, she would glue his hands together.

Astoria clenched her jaw at the recollection and gave him a little push. Silas took the cue and leaned away, leaving as muchappropriate space between them as the dance allowed, and smirked down at her.

Oh yes, she would wipe off that annoying smirk from his face too.

When the dance ended, Emmett approached them for his turn. Astoria freed herself from her husband’s arms and practically fell into her brother’s embrace in relief. She didn’t spare Silas another glance as she buried her face in Emmett’s shoulder and his arms came around her.

His familiar scent and the warmth radiating from him gave her the sudden urge to cry, but she willed herself against it. She wouldn’t cry. She wouldn’t let her tears show. She would not break.

Emmett asked her if she was alright, and she told him she just needed him to hug her. Their dance was a waltz, so it allowed him to hold her close if not exactly hug her. He then asked her if she was thinking about Jasper. Astoria told him she only regretted not running away when she had the chance. Emmett sighed heavily and didn’t say anything for the duration of their dance.

Silas, her brother, took his turn after Emmett. Astoria jested that she couldn’t remember the last time they had danced together, just so she could keep her mind off her thoughts. Silas challenged her to recount all their dances together. Astoria told him this was their eleventh dance and the only one he had danced with her willingly. The other times, she had been his escape to avoid the daughter of Earl Henry whenever the girl attended the royal balls.

They shared a laugh at the recollections, and Astoria felt a little free at heart. She also embedded this moment into her memory; her first laugh shared with her middle brother.

After Silas, it was her father. Astoria’s stomach churned immediately.

His grim expression said everything. He wanted to talk with her about something. And she was not going to like it.

“You must fulfill your wifely duties to your husband tonight. Only then will the magnification work.”

No greeting, no asking about her well-being. Straight to business.

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