Page 72 of Until the Stars Fall

“It was the only way to save you,” he said, dropping his chin toward his chest and hiding his eyes from me.

To save me?

Why did he evenwantto save me?

I had done nothing but irritate him and cause him problems, and now he wanted tomarryme?

Shaking my head, I stared straight ahead as I worked through this new reality—assuming I wasn’t dreaming right now. So, I was to just marry him? Connor. The prince who loathed me. The more I thought about it, the angrier I became.

I wasn’t allowed to marry the prince I loved—not that I had much love for him at the moment—but I would be forced to marry the prince who hated me.

Hated you enough to save your life. Twice.

My thoughts needed to shut up.

Who did this prince think he was, making such decisions for me?

Clenching my teeth, I scowled at him, dropped my hands into my lap, and shrugged.

“So that’s it then. I’m just to marry you? With no say in the matter?”

A shadow of irritation passed over his features, but then his lips appeared to be fighting a smirk. He rose to his feet, shoved his hands into his pockets, and walked slowly toward the bed.

Towering over me, he flashed me an innocent smile before mimicking my earlier shrug. “Oh, you can have a say in the matter.” His features melted into a wounded expression that I was certain couldn’t be genuine. “I’d like to think that marrying me holds some appeal over the alternative.”

“Which is?”

“Death?” He posed it as a question, as if I had truly forgotten the punishment he’d saved me from.

“Right,” I muttered. I chewed on the inside of my lip while I contemplated this predicament. Finally I peered up at him again. “I still don’t understandwhy.”

Groaning, Connor looked away. His chest rose as he took a breath, but he didn’t turn back to me when he answered quietly, “I couldn’t let you die.”

“Why? Do you have some sort of savior complex?”

I was being unfair. I should be grateful he’d saved me, but I couldn’t shake this anger over having my life—and now my death—controlled by everyone else but me.

He dropped his head and rubbed his fingers over his forehead as he answered with a single word. “Perhaps.”

For a long moment, neither of us moved or spoke. I couldn’t even tell if he was breathing.

Was I really going to have to marry him?

Was I really going to bequeen?

Connor turned and sat on the edge of the bed, facing me. He remained impassive, enigmatic even, when he finally spoke again.

“If you’re worried about marrying me, don’t be. We won’t actually get married. This is just a temporary solution.”

I eyed him nervously. “So you’re just going to kill me then?”

He gave a single breath of a laugh and shook his head. “I didn’t save you just to kill you later. I’ll think of something when the time comes.”

“And when will that be?” I asked with some apprehension, though I was starting to breathe a little easier knowing I wasn’t truly being forced into a lifelong commitment.

“Just until after Brennan and Calla are married in the spring.”

I flinched as if he’d actually pricked my heart with his answer.

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