Page 90 of The Promised Prince
Moisture gathered at the corners of her eyes. “Leave my mother out of this.”
“Yes, she’s much too fragile for a scandal like this.” He leaned in closer; Renna wasn’t sure how it was even possible. The scent of alcohol burned her nostrils. “Stay away from him,” he said, his voice dark and nasty. “He may believe he would’ve been happy with you. You may even believe it, too, but I know the truth. I know that you would’ve ruined his future. He will never become king with you by his side, and one day he would have resented you for it.” He released her hair, thrusting her head back into the door with a loud thud. It took all her strength not to rub the back of her scalp furiously.
“You’re an embarrassment.” His insult came with a touch of laughter.
A rogue tear dropped from her eye.
The king towered over her, sinking her back into the wall. She was sure his next words rumbled through the walls the way they rumbled through her.
“You are a liability.”
He flung open her door and slammed it behind him. She stared at the door for a moment, frozen in fear, but his words hung in the air. How could one sentence hurt so much? They were just words, after all.
Renna locked her bedroom door then walked across the room. She checked under the bed as if somehow the king could still be lurking in the shadows, tormenting her. She kicked off her shoes and reached for the zipper on the back of her dress but suddenly, she didn’t feel safe enough to be without the extra fabric. She didn’t feel safe anywhere. Her body folded into the soft bed and pillows. She pulled the blanket up over her head and let the sobs come freely.
33
Trev
The memory of the kiss with Seran tasted bland on Trev’s lips. There was no excitement. No heat. No longing. No tension. Those weren’t the feelings he wanted to feel. Even the delicious food at breakfast the next morning couldn’t get rid of the aftertaste of disappointment. But he’d made a deal with his father and couldn’t go back on it.
One hour ago, he had watched his father write the letter to call off the assassination, then watched him give it to the messenger, an officer that Trev had chosen. He watched the man drive away, finally satisfied that the plans were going to be stopped.
He had done the noble thing, but that didn’t prevent him from feeling depressed.
Renna appeared in front of him on the stairs, and his mood immediately lifted. Somehow everything seemed better when she was around. He couldn’t control his smile or the racing in his heart as he stopped to greet her in the middle of the giant staircase.
“You missed the fireworks last night.”
“I saw them.” Her words were clipped, full of an emotion he didn’t understand.
Her curtness took him by surprise. “Oh. I thought I saw you leave with Drake.”
He wanted to see the different shades of color in her green eyes, but she refused to look at him.
Something was wrong.
“I did leave the fireworks display.” She folded her arms tightly across her chest, finally letting her eyes rest on him. “But I saw the ones later that night.”
The coldness in her voice confused him. “What fireworks? I don’t understand.”
“You know, the ones between you and Seran in the royal living room.”
“What are you talking about?” Tension filled his shoulders as he furrowed his brow.
“Your kiss with Seran,” Renna clarified.
Heat rushed to his face in embarrassment. “You saw that?”
“I wasn’t spying. I just wanted to tell you something, but you were...busy.” A tight smile spread across her lips. “I didn’t want to interrupt your intimate moment.”
“It wasn’t an intimate moment.” Not to Trev, at least.
“It looked pretty intimate to me,” she said, hurt evident in her eyes. But then she looked up, the hurt replaced with a coldness that pierced Trev’s heart. “Anyways, I’m happy for you both.” She slipped past him and continued down the stairs.
“Renna?” He tried to reach for her, but she pulled away.
“I’m really busy. I have to go.”
