Page 196 of Glow of the Everflame

He closed his eyes, and I watched as his features slowly hardened. His armor of indomitable resolve took hold, and when he finally returned my gaze, it was not Luther who stood before me but the cold, brutal Prince. He glanced briefly to the others, then his voice dropped low, meant only for my ears.

“House Hanoverre agreed not to come after you if I make a bonded bargain to marry Iléana.”

My hands flew out on reflex, latching to his forearms to steady my spinning head. “Luther.No.”

“House Hanoverre is your greatest threat. If I have a chance to keep you safe from them, I have to take it.”

I shook my head frantically and grappled for words. My vision blurred at the corners, the world sharpening in on him and him alone. “Luther—please—please, tell me you didn’t enter that bargain.”

He fixed me with his penetrating stare, and I thought my fractured heart might explode and level the world to ashes all over again.

“Luther,no,” I choked out.

“I told them I would give them an answer by sundown—”

“Thank the gods,” I groaned, slumping against him.

“—but I’ve already made up my mind to accept.”

I blinked up at him. “You can’t be serious.”

“I promised you I would not let you die at the Challenging.” His expression turned pained. “I know you no longer have faith in my promises—”

“I do,” I insisted. “I shouldn’t have said what I did. I was angry and grieving, and I took it out on you. I’m so sorry, Luther. I know you did everything you could. You don’t have to sign your life away to that witch to earn my faith—you have it already. You never truly lost it.”

His mask flickered, and a blinding ray of brilliant, soul-warming happiness shone through, then quickly disappeared. “If I deny them, they may Challenge you out of spite alone.”

“Then let them Challenge me.”

“If you had more time to master your magic, I would have no doubt you could defeat anyone, but—”

“The godhood came to me when I needed it in the past.” I shrugged. “Maybe it will do so again.”

“And if it doesn’t?” His voice began to rise, his tone growing hot as the air rippled with his aura. “You expect me to watch Jean Hanoverre take your life? I would marry every person in that entire wretched House before I’d let that happen. You cannot ask me to stand back and do nothing.” His hands gripped at my waist. “I will not let you die.”

“I’m not asking you to do nothing. I’m asking you not to dothis.”

He glared at me, gaze swirling with the stars and shadows of his mighty power. His fury was a fearsome sight, the kind that could make even the bravest of warriors weak-kneed and wary, but I did not wither. This deadly, uncompromising rage was notatme, butforme.

“Marry her if you love her,” I said, the words almost too painful to speak aloud.

“I don’t,” he growled. “I l—”

I gently placed a finger on his lips to silence him. His features tensed at the gesture, then softened.

“Marry her if you care for her,” I went on, still keeping my voice low, “or if you want to raise a family with her and grow old with her. Marry her if she is who your heart desires. But don’t marry her for me. I could not bear it.” I gave him a rueful smile. “I would rather die in the Challenging than live knowing I was to blame for that.”

He watched me, saying nothing. I could see the words forming in his throat—the protests, the promises, the guilt, the weight of my life on his shoulders.

Finally, his hand rose to mine, curling around my fingers and pulling them from his lips. “Show me you can use your magic. Prove to me you can defend yourself, and I’ll reject the bargain.”

I arched an eyebrow. “Is this another one of your attempts to bribe me into surviving?”

He leaned in closer. “If that’s what it takes.”

I looked over at the others. Alixe and Teller talked quietly between the occasional glance, while Eleanor and Lily were cuddled into Taran’s hips, the three of them no longer bothering to pretend they weren’t watching. The ladies were all but swooning, eyes practically glowing with hope, but Taran’s expression was more reserved. His hard stare simmered with the confrontation we’d had at my last training. A request, and a warning, not to be careless with his best friend’s heart.

“Let’s get started then,” I said. “Can’t be late for my fancy Corbois lunch.” I backed away from Luther and swore as I nearly toppled over the pool of fabric at my feet. I fumbled with the cape fastenings at my chest. “What am I learning today?”

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