Elian felt dread wash over him as the King's lips curled into a smile.
He knew then that the King was ready to do anything for his daughter.
"What a thoughtful thought, Rowena," King Alaric nodded.
'No,' Elian shut his eyes tightly.
He couldn't believe he was ever going to think this way, but... he'd rather spend his entire life with Lucien than with Rowena.
At least he could swear on his life that Lucien wanted him alive for a little while longer. He was choosing the evil he knew, not the evil masked as goodness.
"Do you permit this, Lucien? I may be King, but the law states that the young lad belongs to you," King Alaric asked slowly.
Lucien, who had been frozen from the moment Rowena suggested that madness, finally breathed in relief. He was greatly worrying about how he'd maneuver the King's order if the King ever agreed to his daughter's request.
Masking his expression, he stepped forward, pausing right beside Elian as he held the King's gaze.
