Page 62 of The Faceless Queen

Just like my mother had. And that had been prophesied, too.

The queen will be betrayed by her blood. Her blood will kill her.

My stomach twisted.

“Princess Olivay,” Brennan said. There was a concerned tone to his voice, like it wasn’t the first time he’d said my name.

I blinked. “I’m sorry. What did you say?”

“Here.” He carefully wrapped the lace ties around my wrist, his fingers delicate against my skin as he sealed the ends into a bow. He wore a thick sigil ring made of gold on his forefinger, a moonstag etched into the metal. “You’ll need to keep these so you can grant favor for the joust.” Then he searched my eyes as he asked, “Can I take your hands again?”

No! You need to run. Get away from me! Now!

But that wasn’t possible. There was only one way forward now.

I nodded. Slowly. I had to.

I’d accepted my mission, and sworn my oath out of duty, out of a desire for forgiveness. To right the wrongs of my past. And for revenge. I knew there would be a cost. There was always a cost. And I’d been willing to bear it. Happy to let Jaron pay for it.

But this was Brennan.

There will be an end to House Lafir.

His hands were warm against mine, welcome, and familiar. Wanted. Wanted by the most secret, selfish part of me.

My throat went dry and I waited, my body still, dread filling me from within. The Azete stirred, hungry and expecting. And why wouldn’t it? It already knew the taste of Brennan–it knew it could feed from him, feed greedily, and without so much as a touch. But, standing there with him, our eyes locked, his hands wrapped around mine in the most comforting, soothing ways … I felt nothing. Not even a trickle of emotion from him. Not even from where we touched.

I don’t … love her.

That was what he’d confessed to me. That he had no feelings for his bride. But he meant to. And if I knew Brennan at all, he’d do everything in his power to keep his word. To find a way. And when he did …

He will die.

His green eyes searched mine in earnest, his brows frowning with concern, completely unaware of the battle I fought within. “Are you all right?”

I nodded again. I had no choice. “Now what?” I asked nervously.

But the answer was clear from the chants coming in from every direction of the field, and the even louder shouts emanating from each of the pavilions.

“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!”

My stomach turned.

I had hardened my heart. I had agreed to come here for revenge on Jaron, and to fulfill my oath. To save my people.

But I hadn’t bargained for this. For Brennan.

When we’d been alone in the tavern, Brennan had made my skin heat and my core tighten. He’d awoken something inside of me I thought was dead. My heart. My desires. I’d stopped believing such a thing was possible. To want. Not after what I’d lost. Not after I’d learned the harm my wanting could bring.

He’d made me feel that way with little more than his words, with barely more than the look in his eyes, and the lightest of his touches against my skin.

My stomach turned. Maybe he felt nothing for Olivay tonight. Maybe no emotions stirred for him the way they did when we’d been alone at the tavern.

But they would.

If we kissed, the emotions of desire and want and need would come, and the Azete would feed. That was how this worked. If there was no love or hurt or hatred or anger being pushed toward me, nor any other strong feelings, at the end of the day, when there was a man concerned, there would be lust.

There was always lust.