Page 42 of Dueling the Suitors

Astoria’s fingers paused in her hair. “What?”

“Power magnification is a myth. There’s no way one can magnify the powers they have been given already, unless they embrace dark magic.”

“Which, I wouldn’t recommend to anyone even if it claims to be a great aid against the Emperor,” Astoria added.

Amusement danced in his eyes. “I am sure you wouldn’t, my darling.”

She narrowed her eyes again. “Don’t call me that—or any Dragon or feisty nonsense.”

“I cannot help it,” he said with a smirk. “Youaremy darling now; my Princess Feisty when you are exceptionally feisty, my Little Dragon, my beloved, and my wife. My one and only Astra; whether you like it or not.”

“Astra?” she parroted incredulously.

His smirk widened. “I’ve been thinking up nicknames for you, and Astra stuck out to me more than Stor or Storie.”

Astoria opened her mouth to retort but realized that if she responded now, it would take them off course from the topic she wanted to discuss with him.

“I shall deal with you about your nicknames later, but I want you to tell me why you said the magnification is a myth, and what you meant by never wanting the magnification to begin with but only me.”

Silas’ smirk dropped into a neutral expression. “Because I knew it was a myth.”

“How?” she demanded.

He spread his arms, gesturing towards both of them. “Well, aren’t we the living example?”

“But what if the king is right, and it requireseverymarital ritual to be fulfilled?”

“I don’t think you are willing to try that, are you?”

Heat flooded her cheeks. “Of course not!”

He shrugged. “That’s what I thought, too. Which is why we are going to tell the king that we completed our parts but the magnification still didn’t work.”

Her jaw slackened. “We are going tolieto him?”

“Don’t tell me he doesn’t deserve it.”

“No.” Astoria composed herself and shook her head. “It’s just…”

“Just what?”

She hesitated. “I didn’t think you would—you would be—”

“Astra, I promised you he won’t have a shred of victory from our union, and I will uphold that.” He took a step forward, holding her gaze despite the dim light and the distance separating them. “This is just the beginning.”

But he still refused to answer one question. “What did you mean when you said you wanted only me?”

His lips twitched into a cocky smile. “Isn’t that obvious, my darling? I wanted you because marrying you would make me the son-in-law to the king and brother-in-law to the future king. It would upgrade my station. I would be a lord. Blast, Iama lord now.”

He winked.

He winked! The audacity of the man to say this to her face!

She might be unable to use her powers against him, but nothing prevented non-magical payback.

Astoria grabbed the first thing she found—a hairbrush—and hurled it towards him. He made a surprised noise and jumped out of its way.

Silas gaped at her. “Did you just throw your hairbrush at me?”

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