Page 61 of Mistaken as His Royal Bride

Pain lanced Maddi’s heart.Yes.

‘No, not that. I know what you think of love. That it’s an indulgence that leads only to weakness and self-destruction. But not everyone is your mother, Ari. Some people learn to get over their heartache and find another kind of love. My mother didn’t let it destroy her.’

Like his had done.

‘None of that interests me. It’s time for you to go back where you belong.’

I belong here, with you.

The words rose up on a tide of emotion that Maddi did her best to hold back. He was right—she did need to go back to Laia and reorientate herself. It was clear she was no longer welcome here. She never really had been. Ari had spied an opportunity to have some fun while she was here, and he’d taken it.

So did you.

Suddenly Maddi didn’t have the stomach for hiding behind bravado.

‘You didn’t have to be tender, Ari. You could have spared me that. But then I guess this was always going to be an exercise in punishment for you, wasn’t it? After all, you didn’t get your convenient queen.’

‘I’m not so petty. The first night we slept together was the start of my letting go of the marriage agreement with Princess Laia. Did you really think I could have a situation in which I was married to a woman while my ex-lover worked as her lady-in-waiting?’

Maddi didn’t know what to say.

Ari went on. Grim. ‘I realised then that this whole agreement with Laia was something I’d taken for granted. Hadn’t really thought about. Certainly I hadn’t considered her feelings. She tried to speak to me years ago, after her father’s funeral. I know that I barely entertained her concerns. I told her it was happening and that was that. I’m not proud to admit that.’

Maddi swallowed the emotion in her throat. ‘What about the peace agreement?’

He looked at her. Still cold as ice. ‘That’ll be between me and Queen Laia, but I have no doubt we can work something out.’

‘So, all’s well that ends well?’

Maddi knew she should be happy for her sister that Ari had come to this realisation of his own arrogance and stubbornness, and was showing a willingness not to let their actions affect the peace agreement. But she felt hollow.

And she must be a sucker for punishment, because she said, ‘I’m sorry for the inconvenience. You’ll have to find a new royal bride, but I’m sure you will.’

Ari said nothing—just looked at her. Silently telling her to leave.

Maddi turned and walked to the door. She’d been right to fear the pain of this rejection. It was like a knife lodged in her gut. Sharp and devastating.

She had felt as if she had a place here—but not any more. She was unwelcome. Unwanted. The magic that she’d thought existed between her and Ari had all been an illusion. He was right. She’d confused sex with emotion, just as he’d said.

She was almost at the door when Ari said from behind her, ‘You’re obviously not applying for the position yourself?’

Maddi stopped dead. Had she misheard him?

She turned around. ‘What did you say?’

‘You heard me,’ he all but spat out.

He knows.

His remote demeanour now made sense.

Maddi felt unbelievably cold. Exposed. ‘How did you know?’

When did he know? Has he known all along?

Questions buzzed in her head, causing a cacophony.

‘I asked a friend to have you investigated when I realised you weren’t Princess Laia.’