MasukEloise’s POVI saw him visibly relax at my words as he let out a sigh.“I might have overreacted a little bit.” He said with a nod.I blinked. Once, then twice. Had he actually just admitted that he had been wrong? I felt hope bloom in my chest, but I squashed it immediately. I was tired of hoping and always getting disappointed in the end.Of course he was wrong. Every single person in this castle knew for a fact that he was beyond wrong.“I would ask the guards to release him.” I didn’t know how on edge I really was until he said those words. Relief flowed like a river in my chest.For a few seconds, neither of us said anything. I lowered my gaze, unable to handle the intensity of his gaze.At least Frederick would be released. Maybe there was still a way to salvage the relationship between the two of them.“Thank you.” I said. I guess this could count as a step in the right direction.I waited for him to turn around and leave me alone in the room. He didn’t.He just stood there, w
My mind somehow drifted back to Fredrick. I wondered if he was okay in that cold dark dungeon. Everyone was here, enjoying the festivities, but he was still there all alone.I wondered if Natalia had gone back to visit him, although the chances of that were slim, because last time she was there, he all bit chased her away from him.I had to get him out.I didn’t know how.I didn’t know what I would have to do.But I couldn’t just sit on a throne and pretend I was happy while he remained there.When I got back into our room, I was. I had barely stepped inside before he turned toward me, his expression softening.“You look beautiful,” he said.I said nothing. What did he expect me to say exactly? Was I supposed to thank him and pretend like he hadn’t just placed this huge burden on me even after I begged him not to?His smile was so bright it made me feel like I was the darkness of the world. “That crown really does suit you, Eloise. See? I told you, everything would be just fine. You
Eloise’s POVThe change in his expression was so brief that I almost convinced myself I had imagined it. A shadow crossed Olpheus’ face, something dark and unreadable, then it was gone. Lost behind the calm mask her always seemed to wear these days.“It’s not your choice anymore,” he said quietly. “I’m sorry.”My brows pulled together. “What do you mean it’s not my choice anymore?” I asked, but there wasn’t much strength behind the question. He only looked at me for a moment before his gaze dropped, and somehow that frightened me more than anything else.“Please, Eloise. Don’t make me do something I’ll regret. Just do this.”I didn’t know what to say to that. My mouth opened, then closed again, because every possible question seemed useless. What exactly could he do to me? I wanted to know what exactly he meant so desperately, but the fear sitting heavily on my chest told me that maybe I was better off not knowing.So I followed him.The walk to the throne room felt unnaturally lon
“Please don’t go, my lady.” I froze in place when I heard the words of the maids. They sounded so vulnerable. I looked back at Olpheus.He was looking right at me with that intense gaze I couldn’t quite ignore.Something told me that if my escape plan had been successful, these maids would have paid the full price.“What’s going on here?” his angry gaze now fixed solely on me.His tone rattled something inside of me. “Take your stupid crown, Olpheus. I remember why I didn’t want it in the first place.” Something flickered in his eyes as I said those words.Something that looked a lot like sadness. It was gone so soon, I guess I had imagined it.“So you don’t want me? You don’t want to become my mate?” Ordinarily, that question would have melted something inside of me, but he said the words in a tone that was hard enough to cut through steel.“I want you, Olpheus.” More than he would ever know. “I want you, but I don’t want to be with you… not like this.”“You have no right to tell me
Eloise’s POVMy heart beat hard in my chest as I settled onto the bed. I didn’t end up entering the dungeon with Natalia. I couldn’t.The poor girl looked frightened out of her mind and I knew that my presence would only make things harder on the two of them.I had waited outside the dungeon and I couldn’t help, overhearing their conversation.Fredrick was in love with the girl. That much was obvious.I almost envied their relationship because once upon a time, that had been me and Olpheus.I was startled out of my thoughts as the door slammed open.I looked up, to find Olpheus staring at me with all the fury of hell. Speak of the devil.He reached me in three large steps. He was huffing and puffing so much that I thought he would burst.“What was that all about?!” I looked away from him, unable to meet his gaze.I guess he had already been informed of my recent trip to the dungeons. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I didn’t have to look at him to know that his eyes were narr
Fredrick’s POVI mentally prepared myself for my next words. They were going to be a lot harder on me than she would ever know.“You’ve helped enough.” I said looking right into her eyes.It dawned on me right then that I might need to say something drastic before she would actually stay away from this place and everything that had to do with Olpheus and his mate.“You’re the reason I’m even here in the first place.” The words were harsh. They sounded wrong, even to my own ears. I wanted to take it back when I saw the heart broken look on her face, but it was too late, the words had already been said.“Oh.” I could tell that she said it as a reflex. She was stunned, that much was obvious.She looked around the cold empty dungeon like it would give her the words to say. I looked at her, not knowing what to say to make things better.“I…” she trailed off, looking at a loss for words. She cleared her throat and started again. “I didn’t mean to.” She said, looking anywhere, but at me. “







