Page 39 of Broken Star

He’s paler than he ever was back home. But compared to the way I found him in his room a few days ago, there’s a certain vitality to him now. Like maybe the queen decided to lighten up on the feedings. His eyes don’t look quite as sunken, and while they still have that unsettling empty gleam in them, it’s less severe than it was before.

He doesn’t look at me.

So, I approach him in the courtyard after breakfast and drag him to an empty table off to the side.

“Zoey,” he says, giving me a once-over. “You look tired.”

“Seriously?” I bristle at the comment. “You’re hardly one to talk. Aren’t you supposed to be half-dead in the queen’s bed right now?”

His mouth twitches in what might be a grimace—or a smirk. “She’s with the king today. So, I got some time off,” he answers flatly, although a familiar look crosses his eyes. One that I saw a lot when he watched men check out Sapphire at the Maple Pig—jealousy.

“Sounds like a real dream,” I reply, rolling my eyes.

“At least I’m not pretending to be something I’m not.” He eyes me pointedly. “And by the way, you look like you haven’t slept in days. Maybe you should rest. You don’t want to end up like Sapphire, always looking run down from late nights at the bar.”

I stiffen at his casual insult of Sapphire.

“First of all, Sapphire never looked tired,” I say, leveling my gaze with his. “Second of all, leave her out of this.”

He leans in, lowering his voice. “Why should I? You know she used to be mine.”

I grit my teeth, anger flooding through me at the fact that even though we’re here, needing to survive this together, he’s still resentful about Sapphire’s rejection. I thought he’d moved on to the queen, but apparently, he can’t handle blows to the ego now any better than he did back then.

“She was never yours,” I say, loud enough that a few heads turn our way. “She’sfae,Matt. She belongs to this realm. Not to you.”

“You say she’s fae like it’s supposed to be a surprise?” he asks, raising a brow.

“You never gave me a chance to tell you,” I say flatly. “You were never here.”

“Ravennatold me,” he says, loudly enough for everyone to hear that he’s on first name basis with the queen. “But if you hadn’t gotten in Sapphire’s head, you know she would have said yes to my proposal, right? We would have gotten married, had a couple of kids, and lived in that little house near the shop.” He rubs his jaw, not hiding the bitterness creeping in. “But I’m glad it didn’t turn out that way. Because then I wouldn’t have met Ravenna.”

My stomach churns. “You’re kidding, right? She’s literally draining you.”

“That’s how I know she loves me,” he says, that eerie look he gets when he talks about her passing over his eyes. “We have a bond. A real connection. She’s my soulmate.”

I can’t hold back a scoff. “She’s playing with your mind, Matt. You’re infatuated because she’s manipulating your emotions.”

“You don’t know anything,” he says, glaring at me. “Do you even see yourself? You’re walking around like you own the place because you’re Prince Aerix’s new favorite. You’re no different than I am.”

“Yes, Iam,”I snap, and he actually flinches. “Aerix cares about me. He’s not slowly killing me. He never would.”

“Come on, Zo.” Matt’s smile is brittle and mocking. “You’re in love with him. Just like I am with Ravenna”

“I amnotin love with Aerix.” I tighten my hands around the edge of my chair, needing to ground myself.

Needing to think aboutanythingother than those midnight eyes and mesmerizing wings.

“You were always the adventurous one, right?” Matt continues, his voice raising even more. “The one who wanted to explore. Now, you’re exploringhim.Giving him exactly what he wants.”

That’s it.

“This conversation is over,” I say, pushing myself up from my chair. Because no matter if he’s the queen’s favorite toy in the Night Court or the arrogant quarterback on the football field, Matt’s as much of a conceited jerk as always.

I should have known better to think that this realm might have changed him.

“No. This conversation isnotover,” he says, and then his hand’s moving to my wrist, his fingers tightening around it, stopping me from leaving.

“Yes. It is.” I yank my wrist free from Matt’s grip, ignoring the sharp twinge as his nails scrape my skin.

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