in the middle of planning a wedding, and—”
“Not important?” she interrupts, voice incredulous. “Novalee, you’re my queen.”
“I’m a disaster.”
“No.” Empathy pulls at her lips as she squeezes my hand. “You’re the perfect example of strength. You lost your parents at such a young age, were raised by a monster through your teenage years, and you’ve been used and abused ever since you got here. I’m amazed you’re still the queen I’m honored to have served these past few years.”
“It hasn’t all been bad. I had you and Faye.”
The mention of my lifelong friend casts a cloud of melancholy over our conversation, and we fall into a long moment of disquiet.
“Have you heard from her?” I ask past the lump of sorrow in my throat that won’t subside.
“She wrote me once to say she’s doing well.” Elise hesitates, teeth tugging on her bottom lip. “She’s engaged now. I should’ve told you sooner, but I didn’t want to upset you.”
“It’s okay. I understand why you didn’t mention it.” A breeze carries a lock of hair into my eyes, and I brush it away, causing the sunlight to glint on the diamond on my finger.
Elise’s attention stalls on my ring. “Are you upset because of Landon’s plan for you to marry Sebastian?”
I’m overwhelmed, terrified, and excited—all rolled into a ball of heaviness in my gut. But I’m not sure how to put it into words.
“I don’t know how I feel.”
“Do you have feelings for him?”
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t.” I glance at her from the corner of my eye, wishing I could spill everything, but until my brother lets her in on the whole story, I can’t. “I’m not convinced Sebastian wants to marry me.”
“Why wouldn’t he?” She scoots to face me. “I thought they all wanted to win your hand, Landon excluded, of course.”
I return her smile at the mention of her future husband’s name. “Sebastian’s family wants it, but he’s in love with someone else.”
“Who?”
“Landon’s sister.”
Her blue eyes widen. “Landon didn’t tell me that.” A beat passes, and her brows furrow. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You’ve been busy, and…” I shake my head. “I’m not sure why I didn’t tell you. Sebastian has a history with Lilith, and ever since the night of the ball, I’ve been so confused.”
“What’s got you so mixed up?” she asks softly.
“The problem is I care about Liam, too.”
“That does sound like a dilemma.”
I almost scoff out loud. “I don’t know what to do. Nothing in my life prepared me for the men in that place.” I nod behind us, where the tower rises thirteen stories in the air. “They’re not what I expected, and I didn’t think I’d fall for any of them, let alone two.”
Elise slowly nods. “The Brotherhood comes from less traditional stock—which makes Gwen’s insistence on a traditional wedding ironic.” She laughs, matching action to words. “I don’t always agree with Landon’s decisions, but the way he’s so protective and loyal…I love him even more for it.”
The sheen of adoration in her eyes makes me envious. “Liam possesses both traits, but Sebastian…”
“He’s not protective or loyal?”
“He’s lust and passion, tortured and intense. He commands my attention just by being in the same room.”
“To me, it sounds like something’s there, Novalee.”
“It sounds like insanity. A union with him will never work. We’ll both be miserable.”
“Maybe you should give him a chance next month.”
“You’ve been talking to Landon too much,” I gripe.
“Well, from what he’s told me, you could do worse than Sebastian.”
I’m glad she’s not bringing up Liam as an option, because I’d have to dodge her on the reason Landon doesn’t want me near the chancellor, and I don’t want to lie to my friend.
“Sebastian’s still stuck in the past, so it’s a moot point.”
“His past isn’t here. You are.”
That might be true, but so far, the past has proven to have the worst timing imaginable.
And speaking of time…
“I should get back.” I rise to my feet, noting how the sun sank another notch on its journey toward the horizon, and work still awaits me in my studio before dinner.
We return to the tower and part with a hug before I head down the labyrinth of hallways, the hairs on my nape standing on end when I make my way past the portraits of the Brotherhood’s ancestors, my footsteps light and careful. I’m distracted as I turn the last corner, and that’s when I smack into Sebastian.
Literally.
He grips me by the shoulders to keep me from falling on my