Page 139 of Uncrowned

“But… you were teaching me to fight. You never mentioned history.”

His face lowered. “The history is easy enough to learn, and the punishment you can survive. It’s the fight that you must worry over. You have to prove that you can protect me if it comes down to it. The Order will not just test you, Penelope. They’re going to try to kill you. It’s the only way. Two people will face off. Only one will survive.”

“And she died?”

“I made a mistake. I chose wrong. It’s why it’s taken me ten years to choose again. I had to be sure but⁠—”

“I understand why you kept pulling back before. It makes sense. You think I can’t do it. That I’m too weak.”

“Penelope, it’s not⁠—”

“Don’t.”

“Stop.” He pushed to his feet, looming over me. “Did it ever occur to you that I didn’t think you were weak, I just didn’t want to lose you? Dammit, Penelope.” He went to reach for my face, but once again, I countered it by grabbing to his wrist. The interest—the stunned surprise had him moving faster to grab me.

All the days in the gym—with Elliot—with Marian—alone. Killing myself. Working so hard to drown out my own doubts. Fighting. Fighting. Fighting.

“You never stopped training.” Vaughn grabbed my forearm, spinning and stepping in to wrap around my back. Instinct came automatic. I pivoted my hips just as Elliot had taught me, hooking my arm around Vaughn’s back as I threw him down to the ground. The smile on his face as he stared up at me from the cement floor wasn’t just filled with aww… there was love. And I was so caught up in it that I didn’t feel him sweep my feet out from under me until I was in the air. He moved forward, and I crashed into his arms as he caught me.

“God, I’ve missed you.”

He spun me to lay on my back, only for me to throw my weight so that I was on top. The way I was straddling his waist had heat surfacing on my skin.

“I think I’ve never loved you more.”

“You’re mistaken. It’s not love.”

“No?” Vaughn’s eyes were practically sparkling as he grabbed to my hip. “If this isn’t love⁠—”

“It’s not.”

“Prove it. Kiss me and tell me you don’t feel it too.”

What I felt was the hardness of his cock under me. His fingers dug into my hip, and he added pressure and moved me against him.

“Kiss me, Penelope. One time.”

His large hand pushed under my hair, wrapping around the back of my neck, leading me forward. Lust and lies twisted. Katia’s stories made me argue with truth and deception. I wasn’t naïve that maybe everything she told me wasn’t real, but my mind was having a hard time figuring out what was.

“Who is Bella Octavia?”

Vaughn paused as his lips brushed mine. His face drew back, and his eyes narrowed as they searched back and forth. As if a flipped switched in him, he stood, dumping me on the floor. The rage in his eyes had me wanting to cower. To take back my question. … It cemented in that everything Katia told me wasn’t a lie.

“Is she rotting down here? Like me? Like Katia will when you find her? Or did you set her free with your knife?”

“Stand up. The Magister is waiting on you.”

I rose, not taking my eyes off of him. Although terrified, I couldn’t stop the anger that came with how stupid I felt for believing in a Vaughn that didn’t exist. For almost falling for his charm, again. I almost had given in and kissed him.

What was wrong with me?

A million answers came as I let Vaughn drag me across The Order. Masters watched. Guards quietly whispered when they thought we weren’t looking.

When we headed through a door, The Magister stood waiting in his dark veil and upside-down crown as the other Judics stood quietly in the background. A dark-haired woman was tied to a stake. There was a gag in her mouth, and her sobs were muffled as she shook her head.

“The Intended has arrived.”

My head shook. “I am not. The Unavowed says I am equivalent to a slave. I am not to hold the status of future queen until I earn it.”