Page 160 of Forsaking All Others

Yet Thorun was the darling of the family. Sweet, kind, generous to a fault. Strong and self-sufficient in her own way.

‘Neither of them deserves a love-less marriage. Both of them deserve more than I can give.’

“Fuck!”

‘There’s only one way around this.’

A head pops around the door. It’s the newish make-up woman. She’s decidedly unattractive, I imagine on purpose, given my activities with the previous one.

“Last-minute touch-up, Viscount? They want you on now.”

I shake my head.

“No amount of make-up is going to make this any better.”

I walk to the door and try to paste on a neutral expression.

“Thorun’s a lucky lady,” she calls after me.

Frowning, I close the door behind me and head towards the staging area. It seems everyone wants sweet Thorun to win. But no one understands that I’m not the prize.

As I walk towards where the two women stand, Cat turns to me, her eyes dark, and gives me a tiny nod.

Thorun stares straight ahead as the director gives her some kind of talking-to. He’s trying to impress upon her the rules for this part of the game and she’s asking a million questions.

Clearing my throat I stand on the X marked on the floor in front of all the cameras and face the two women.

“Are you ready, Viscount?” Gerry asks, his face still red from whatever emotion had overtaken him during his discussion with Thorun.

“Almost,” I stare down at him. “I need to talk privately with the two competitors.”

“Ah,” Starlen steps forward positioning himself between the two women and me, “I’m afraid not, Viscount. That’s not part of The Game.”

“Neither is caving in your face so thoroughly it takes you a decade to recover your nose,” I drawl, holding out my hand to the two women so they can step down from their platform, and indicating they should walk around the presenter. “Now get out of my fucking way.”

Huffing, he steps aside and stares at Gerry, who simply shrugs and turns away.

‘He’s finally learned.’

“Ladies,” I smile as I tuck a hand through each of my arms and lead them off the set, “I have something I need to tell you.”

“Is this where you kill one of us?” Thorun whispers.

“No,” I smile down at her. “This is where you bring out from hiding the thing I told you to keep safe.”

“What are you talking about?” Catriona hisses.

As we reach a private, dark corner of the garden, I release their hands and face them both.

“At this stage of The Game you both know I can only choose one of you. Normally the excess contestant is dispensed with, but I haven’t come this far to break my oath now. Thorun has something that will enable one of you to be free and live your life however you choose. That woman will be safe, supported in any endeavour she desires, and never have to worry about money. The other,” I pause, “will become my wife.”

Cat and Thorun look at each other, confusion on both their faces.

“This?”

Thorun holds up the coin I’d told her to ensure she brought with her tonight.

“Yes. That coin is a Life Token. It enables you to walk out of here.”