Page 33 of Break Her Heart
He exhaled through his nose, the edge of a bitter smile tugging at his mouth. “Because being king doesn’t mean they’ll stop trying to gut me when I’m not looking. Appeasing them with dinner is a lot easier than having to watch my back around every corner.”
I rolled my eyes as I looked back at myself in the mirror.
I knew I was going to be miserable at dinner.
10
Bronwen
I lied. I loved this dinner.
The smell of the decadent food alone was enough to make my mouth water—roasted meats glazed in dark, rich sauces, platters of steaming vegetables dressed in butter and herbs, soft breads still warm from the ovens. But it was the desserts that made me dizzy with happiness: sugared tarts filled with spiced apples and golden honey, delicate pastries dusted with powdered sugar, thick slices of velvet cake layered with cream.
I thought nothing could compare to grape jelly. I was wrong.
My plate was already piled shamefully high, and I had no intention of stopping.
And I couldn’t forget my dress. It was deep purple, silk with a plunging neckline and gold stitching that caught the candlelight every time I moved. It cinched at the waist, dramatic and sharp, and flared at the hips with just enough volume to make a statement. I looked powerful in it. Dangerous.
Lavina kept glancing at me from across the table, her smile too sharp. She didn’t hide her displeasure well, which only made the food taste sweeter.
Hearing the gossip, even though I had no idea who they were talking about, was oddly comforting. The voices overlapped in quick, vicious bursts—scandal, innuendo, half-truths passed between them. Their cruelty was effortless, elegant even. In a twisted way, it felt like a family. Not the kind you trusted, but the kind that made you feel alive, seen, part of something dangerous and dazzling. I was the stranger at their table, but they didn’t ignore me. They looked. They whispered. And I smiled.
My eyes drifted to Corwin’s empty seat. None of the siblings mentioned him. There were no questions. No concern. If they noticed his absence, they hid it well. Their indifference was either calculated or careless. I didn’t know which was worse.
“Did you see the man Lavina took to her chambers last night?” Simon asked with a wicked grin, swirling the wine in his glass. “I tried to get her to share, but you know how she is, especially when she likes the way someone screams.”
Lavina leaned back in her chair, her jeweled fingers resting delicately on her goblet. “He was divine. Just a taste and I was half drunk. But I’m not ready to toss him aside yet. Maybe if you’re on your best behavior, I’ll let you watch.”
“You marked him?” I asked. I had heard the stories. I had experienced it myself, but I had never seen it happen to someone else.
Benedict, ever the quiet one, kept his gaze on the surface of his drink. “It’s one of her favorite pastimes,” he murmured.
Lavina’s eyes glittered. She tilted her head and let out a peal of laughter that echoed down the long dining hall. “Oh, it makes their blood sing. So much more flavor when they know they’re owned.” Her eyes slid to August with mock affection. “Augustus knows what I mean—don’t you, brother?”
August didn’t respond.
“I’m just shocked he’s kept you this long,” she said, directing it at me with a syrupy smile. “The longest I ever lasted was a few weeks. The hunger always wins. You either feed or you fracture.”
I leaned forward just enough for her to see the glint in my eyes. “I am not owned.”
“Oh but aren’t you? He dresses you up, pulls you around to dinner and the parties, and then after you spread those legs for him and give him the one thing he des-”
“Lavina,” August warned.
I gritted my teeth as August placed his hand on my thigh.I could be mature. I could do what was necessary.
“You may have some strange hold over Augustus, but it won’t matter soon enough. All you’ll be needed for is to bear Carrow some sons.”
No, I couldn’t.
“And what are you needed for?”
She looked at me, a mix of shock and intrigue etched on her face. I lasted a day being quiet. That in itself was a victory.
“I mean I’m sure you realize that you were a mistake. Awoman. What did Carrow want with a daughter?” I twirled the fork between my fingers. August tensed beside me, but I could see the smile he was fighting back.
“At least your other brothers know they are the back up plans for Carrow’s attempt to be truly immortal, but you?” I took a sip of wine, dragging this out for as long as I could. Everyone stared at me and I relished in it. “All you seem to be here for is to be the castle bitch.”
