Crown of Beauty and Vengeance

Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Jai hadn't been expecting to see the princess in her true human form whenever her door swung open. He wasn't expecting Thia, either, especially when she stepped in front of his view of Lyv, protecting her.

And yes, he was going to call her Lyv. No more calling her Alyvia. No more trying to hide from the fact that he wanted her so desperately, so absolutely.

Fist raised to knock, he was preparing to confront her, tell her that he knew who she really was. He wanted her to take out all her anger on him then so they could finally get past it. He needed for them to get past it, especially when Kalla threatened to take Lyv away from him. There was no way in hell that was going to happen.

He'd forgotten it was her birthday, his mind so consumed with what Kalla had told him and how he was going to explain everything to Lyv. He forgot his mother had planned a party for her, which she was dressed for. His eyes quickly swept over her in that emerald green dress that made his mouth water and his hands twitch toward her. Gods above, she was beautiful.

She was pissed. It didn't help that once he saw her, he turned away, caught so off guard that he backed out of his brilliant plan. But of course, she followed. He knew she would.

And Lyv was pissed. He tried to get away. She followed. Threw her knife at his head.

And he let it slip about the shared dream they'd had just before he woke up from his coma, the one where he'd been fighting Amory and Gideon, and then himself.

She definitely wanted to kill him now.

He also let it slip that he'd known who she was the whole time. Why was he even calling them slips anyway? He wanted to tell her everything, make her listen to his side of the story of what happened in Escarral. What really happened.

He wanted all his secrets out, especially when she was the one who needed to hear them. She was the only one who mattered.

Then she saw the maps.

And completely stilled.

"It's your fault."

His fault. He was his fault. He was trying to make it right, for himself, for her, for his friends and family.

He called her Lyv. She didn't want him, too, but the one syllable name tasted so sweet on his tongue.

Gideon called her name, her real name, as he charged into the room.

But Jai had already grabbed her hand and allowed another memory to be shared between the two of them.

He saw what she did through his memories, the last time he'd talked with the male before he, Lyv, and Gideon were captured. He'd rushed through it, blurring the faces until he saw the one she would be looking for.

What he wasn't prepared to witness was what happened after the memory finished and Gideon ripped her away from him.

His old friend's glamour dropped as soon as he took hold of Lyv. Thia was standing in the doorway, witnessing the scene in front of her as if she were dreaming herself.

Lyv dropped to her knees and Gideon followed. She was shaking, squeezing her eyes closed as tears began to fall.

"What the hell did you do to her?" Gideon seethed, glaring up at him.

"Gideon..."

"No!" he yelled. "I told you, Jai. If you ever touched her again, I would make sure you lost your head. I swear to the Mother and gods above..."