Page 33 of Dueling the Suitors

“In the tournaments?” Jasper asked incredulously and scoffed. “Because, unlike those buffoons, I’m not a fool.”

The king sighed. “Still, Jasper, I stand by what I said. You are not powerful enough for the union, nor were any of them. What we need is a powerful source against the Emperor, and Silas here is the most powerful we have yet seen. And—” He held up a hand as Emmett opened his mouth to argue “—Astoria has already signed a contract with me. I can show it to you if you like. She agreed to marrythe onewho defeats her in the duel. And that is Silas. Astoria is bound by the law to fulfill her end of the bargain. And, for your information, there is no loophole.”

He shot his sons a pointed look.

Someone must have tipped them off.

Astoria’s stomach sank as she let this information—the cold reality—sink in. Her fate was sealed. She was marrying the street performer who drove her insane.

When she looked at Silas, he was glaring at Jasper.

The next moments passed in a blur. Jasper stormed out of the room, Silas—her brother— paced to the side, Emmett hugged Astoria to him, and Silas, her betrothed, sat back in his chair with a clenched jaw as Lord Fern proceeded with the reading.

Then, Astoria was given an enchanted quill to sign her name. She hesitated a moment, holding the quill over the papers, and met her father’s gaze.

“You should know I am only doing this because I signed that contract stupidly. This isn’t your victory by any means,” she gritted through her teeth and signed the papers one by one. Then she dropped the quill and stormed out of the room, not sparing a glance at anyone.

Jasper was pacing down the hallway when she stepped out. He stopped as he saw her, marched towards her, grabbed her hand, and motioned for her to follow him silently.

Astoria looked over her shoulder to make sure her betrothed hadn’t stepped out yet and let him lead her away. Jasper pulled them into an alcove and released her hand.

“I have a plan,” he blurted out. “It’s the only loophole I have found. If you marry a Mage, your father’s contract will be void, since that is what he wanted for you in the first place. We can marry in secret. Emmett can officiate, and Silas and Skylar can witness. Once we are magically bonded, the papers you signed won’t hold. You will be free, and I will take care of you with my life.”

Astoria felt her breath leave her. Her eyes widened. “We can do that?”

“Yes.” Jasper nodded, his eyes shining. “Once we are bonded, there is nothing your father or your betrothed can do. We will be together.”

Guilt claimed her at his last words. He was doing this from his heart. He wanted her, wanted this. But she only wanted her freedom. His choice was selfless, but hers was an outwardly selfish one.

“Jas, you should know that I’m willing to do this only because I think you would be a better and safer choice than a stranger,” she told him earnestly. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Storie.” He sighed. “What did I say about my love being enough—wait,you didn’t let me finish my words then,” he teased with a small smile. She chuckled. “So, let me try again. Let my love be enough for both of us until your love joins the journey. What do you say about that? Do you still doubt my intentions?”

Astoria shook her head, pulling off a smile to ignore the burden weighing down on her heart. “It’s not that I don’t trust—” She stopped short as footsteps came down the hallway.

Jasper stepped back to thoughtfully leave distance between them so no one would find them in a scandalous position, even though they weren’t touching.

A shadow fell over the alcove. Astoria angled her head in time as her betrothed appeared at the opening. His eyes slid past her and narrowed as they fell on Jasper.

“What are you doing with my fiancée?”

The iron in Silas’ voice surprised her. She arched a quizzical eyebrow at him, but he was too busy pinning Jasper with a death glare.

Jasper glared back. “For your information, street performer, she was my friend before she became your fiancée. I believe I am allowed to talk with her as much as you are.” He took a step towards Silas and sized him up, but Silas was a head taller than he was. “And in this case, she is more interested in talking with me than with you.”

Silas merely smirked, but his eyes remained menacing. “Speaking of which, I would like to talk with my fiancée.” When Jasper made no move to leave, he added, “Alone.”

Jasper held his gaze a second longer before turning to Astoria.

“It’s alright, Jas.” She gave him an assuring nod.

Jasper nodded back with a clenched jaw and walked out of the alcove. As his footsteps faded into the distance, Astoria crossed her arms and leveled a firm look at Silas.

“What do you want?”

Silas turned to her from the hallway, probably after making sure Jasper was gone. He stepped towards her, the hardness in his eyes leaving, if not all the seriousness. The familiar intensity filled them.

“I know your father was unfaithful to your mother,” he began. “Correct me if I am wrong. Wasn’t he?”

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