Page 91 of Break Her Heart
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Jonah and Darrin were already waiting for me at Darrin’s house beyond the edge of town, the low flicker of candlelight making the small sitting room feel warmer than it was. Darrin’s wife handed us each a steaming cup of tea before quietly excusing herself, leaving us alone with the ticking clock and the tension settling in.
I didn’t sit. I couldn’t.
Jonah leaned against the mantel like he owned the place, arms crossed and that too-eager gleam in his eyes. Darrin remained planted in his chair, silent and steady as always.
They didn’t ask what happened. They didn’t need to. Word had already made it this far considering the king and queen were spotted getting yelled at in the middle of town.
I was still burning.
Jonah looked at me and said flatly, “I know you’re angry at her, but it had to be done.”
I turned to him. “You’re the one who told her, weren’t you?”
“Yes. I knew she would handle it by any means necessary.”
Darrin sighed.
I paced in front of the hearth, hands clenched. “I don’t want to lead through fear, Jonah. That’s not what this was supposed to be.”
“You don’t get to choose,” he said with a shrug. “Not with your gifts. If they think you’re weak, they’ll tear you down and I won’t let that happen when there is something I can do about it.”
I turned to him, the words sharp. “And what do they think now that my sister handled it for me?”
Darrin finally spoke. “They think it worked.”
I blinked. “What do you mean, it worked?”
He looked up at me. “The others—the ones who were plotting to replace you—they came forward. They swore loyalty under a spellbinding oath. If they break it, they die.”
The room fell quiet, save for the soft clink of cooling tea. I didn’t know whether to feel relieved or sick.
“She’s ruthless—but that’s exactly what we needed right now,” Jonah said.
Darrin placed his hand on my shoulder. “I admire that you’re trying to lead like Henry did, but times have changed.”
What he didn’t say hung in the air between us.
You’re different.
You don’t have your own magic. You take. And people will not follow you because they love you. They will follow you because they’re afraid.
29
Bronwen
His mouth crashed against mine the second we appeared in our chambers, and I let him. Let him drag me back, stumbling, until my spine hit the stone wall. His hands found my hips like they always did—demanding, bruising—and I answered with a bite to his bottom lip, earning a growl that vibrated straight down my spine.
“Look at me,” he commanded.
He reached between us, undoing his belt with one hand while the other stayed tight on my waist, as if he thought I might vanish if he let go.
“Do you want this?” he asked, even though we both already knew the answer.
I nodded, breathless. “Yes.”
“Do you wantme?”
