Page 54 of Dueling the Suitors

That was when the maids noticed her presence at all. Their eyes went as wide as saucers, and their jaws dropped.

“Yourwife?”

“You gotmarried?”

“You never told me a thing, Cyrus dear!” The oldest woman gasped. “Any other news, I understand, but you getting married? I had given up hope!”

Astoria blinked at the woman. Did she just address him by his name? Astoria glanced aside at Cyrus for his reaction.

He rolled his eyes. “For goodness’ sake and the thousandth time, Clara, I am only twenty-four. And now that Iammarried, I think I owe you all the celebration you missed.”

Clara looked between him and Astoria with a twinkle in her eyes. “Will you at least tell me how this happened? And a princess from an unconquered kingdom?”

Cyrus looked down at Astoria with the smile of a doting husband. She narrowed her eyes in warning. If he was going to sell any nonsense about them being in love, she would seal his lips shut until she told these women the truth.

Oh, wait… Shecouldn’tdo that.

But Cyrus seemed to take her warning. He turned to the eagerly waiting maids with a chuckle. “I’m sure we can spare time for the love story later. I’m looking forward to establishing it throughout the empire myself. Right now, my wife needs to rest.”

“Of course, of course, my dears.” Clara shoved them towards the direction of the imperial wing. “It’s so good to have you back. Rest well!”

Astoria shook herself out of his hold the moment they were out of the women’s sight. “What love story nonsense are you looking forward to spreading throughout your empire, may I ask?”

“The truth, my darling.” He shot her a side grin, only to drop it the moment he met her eyes. He turned sober, as though realizing he wasn’t supposed to be jolly towards her anymore. “Lies aren’t beneficial. However, the truth, as the old saying goes, sets everyone free.”

“Apparently, not me,” she mumbled to herself.

When they reached the black chamber doors, Cyrus opened them and gestured inside. Astoria stepped into the vast sitting room and looked down her nose at their surroundings on purpose to irritate him.

It was elegant, with black and lavender-grey beauty, but Astoria wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction. “Everything in this palace is so black.”

“Because this is my palace, and it’s styled to my taste.”

“The colour of your own heart, I presume? Besides, this was KingBiba‘spalace before you invaded it.” She raised her eyebrows, daring him to deny it.

She expected him to snap at her, but he said, “The keyword iswas.” Then he gestured towards one of the rooms. “That one is your room.”

He walked forward and opened the door for her. Astoria followed him cautiously and stepped past him inside.

The room looked larger than her own back home. Her things had already been transported. She looked around to assess the black and lavender-grey decorations when they began to shift into the colours of her room in Daliston.

“There,” Cyrus said from behind. She turned to him and saw him lowering his hand from the air. He smirked. “Hopefully, that will help you feel at least a bit at home. I wouldn’t want my colour palette to make my wife feel unwelcome in my palace.”

She narrowed her eyes. “If you are hoping to elicit athank youfrom me, that’s not happening. And I’m definitely not going to feel at home here.”

He shrugged nonchalantly. “Didn’t dream of either, considering it is you, after all.”

“Will you leave me alone now?” she asked exasperated.

“Was about to,” he said, walking backwards. “If you need help, just ring the bell. I’ll ask Clara to assign you the best of handmaidens.” He nodded to the door on the other end of the room. “That’s the washroom.” Then he pointed to the door on their right. “And in case you need me—not that I think you would—that one leads to my room.

“Don’t look so petrified. I won’t come into your room unless you want me to. However, you are welcome to mine anytime. Since there’s no point in locking the door—you and I can unlock it with magic anytime—you will have to trust me. I intend to keep my word not to touch you unnecessarily. However, keep in mind that I will need an heir eventually.”

Astoria’s eyes bulged in horror. Give him an heir? In his dreams! “Don’t you have anyoneelseto give you heirs?” If the rumors were right, he had—

Cyrus looked at her like she was crazy, stopping her mid-thought. Alright, maybe shewascrazy to consider believing a rumor and throwing it right in his face.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

---