The floor heaves under my feet, tilting me forward, as if I could have possibly missed its intentions. I stumble. “Okay, okay, I’m going.”

I hurry through the hall to the door at the end and shoulder it open . . . to find the petite redhead from the auction facing off with Azazel. In the few minutes I interacted with her that night, she seemed like the kind of woman who would rather flee than speak a harsh word to someone. Apparently a lot has changed in the last month.

I stand in the doorway, unseen by both of them, as they yell at each other. I can’t quite divine what happened. Azazel says Briar was harmed and asks her if she wants medical care, but she seems intent on the fact that he’s overstepping and misunderstood the situation.

Ramanu appears in the midst of it, and though I’m happy to see them, they have to grab Briar to stop her from jumping at Azazel. She tried to attack him. My jaw is on the floor, and even as my mind tells me to move, to step in, Ramanu muscles the yelling woman out of the room before I can manage to break free of my shock.

The entire thing takes bare minutes.

I give myself a shake and step into the doorway. “What’s going on?”

Azazel looks up and meets my gaze. “I can explain.”

That’s exactly the wrong thing to say. I might have been able to set aside the situation I ended up in because it had only happened to me. Except . . . apparently that wasn’t true. If Briar is this furious . . . If Azazel looks like he’s already about to apologize . . . I take a step back. “What did you do?”

“Sol became . . . overzealous . . . and removed Briar’s birth control pendant without prior discussion. He’s forfeited his territory as a result.”

I blink. Removing the birth control pendant without talking about it first is kind of a big deal. Except, I can’t get Briar’s fury out of my head. I would never tell someone who’s a victim how they have to respond, but she was protesting in a way that makes me think he read the situation wrong. “From what she says, that’s not the full story.” It was hard to get the full context with how short and angry the fight was, but clearly Briar was angry at Azazel, not Sol.

He bristles visibly. “Not you too.”

It’s amazing how quickly the peace of the last three weeks melts away, leaving only anger. I stare up at him, my heart crumbling in my chest. “Because no one knows better than the great Azazel, right?”

His brows slam down. “That’s not what I said.”

“You didn’t have to say it.” I shake my head. “Your actions speak louder than whatever defense you’re currently trying to come up with.” Because there’s always a defense. He might apologize, might take responsibility later, but in the moment, he uses whatever justification necessary to do what he wants.

He scrubs a hand over his head. “Eve, please.”

Please. As if I’m the one being ridiculous right now. “I need time to think.” I turn around and walk away. He’s learned enough not to follow me, not to chase me down and battle his way forward.

The moment I turn the corner, I whisper, “Take me to her, please.”

A few more turns, a few flights of stairs—as if the castle is truly testing whether I want this—and I’m deposited before a door nearly identical to the room I haven’t bothered to visit in weeks.

I almost turn around right then and there. It’s been so nice letting myself enjoy Azazel. With a little more time, I may have even convinced myself to let down the last of my barriers, to fall for him for real.

Or to admit to myself that I already have.

That, more than anything, makes me lift my hand to knock on the door. I’m not a person who turns away from hard truths, even if they threaten the little bubble I’ve allowed myself to be wrapped up in.

The door clicks open but not because anyone is on the other side. The castle again. I glance around. “Thank you.”

The redhead—Briar—is sitting on the bed, her head in her hands. She straightens as I step into the room, her angry expression fading to one of confusion. “You . . .”

“Eve.” I press my hand to my chest. “Sorry to intrude.”

“No.” She shakes her head, tear tracks on her pretty face. “It’s probably best I’m not alone right now. I was just about to start trying to break down the door.” She eyes it with suspicion. “It was locked just a minute ago.”

“The castle has a strange sense of humor sometimes.” I ease the door shut behind me, confident that I’m not about to be locked in again. The castle and I have an understanding, one that feels independent of Azazel.

Something to consider later.

“The castle. Right.” Briar frowns. “I guess I do remember some of that from when I was here before.” She shakes her head. “Regardless, I need Azazel to stop and listen to me. He walked into a conversation that was none of his business and took things out of context. Sol would never put me in danger intentionally. Yes, we didn’t exactly have a conversation about the birth control pendant before he bit it off, but if I hadn’t wanted him to do it, he wouldn’t have done it.”

The passion in her voice makes my heart ache. “You sound like you love him.”

Briar gives me a wobbly smile. “He’s the best man I’ve ever known.”

And Azazel just dropped a bomb on their relationship, so to speak. High-handed doesn’t begin to cover it. It’s impossible to avoid comparing myself to Briar, even though the situation is different. The current danger against her sounds like it was perceived instead of real. Regardless, Azazel didn’t stop to ask questions or find another way. He just took her . . . like he took me.

We chat for a little while. I came here to find out answers, and it quickly becomes clear that Briar truly is in love with Sol. They had a bit of a rocky start, because of the trauma from her past relationship and his awkward nobility, but it seems like things are going swimmingly now.

At least until Azazel ruined it all.

I don’t know how to feel. I truly don’t. It’s not a simple situation, and I can’t pretend that my time with him hasn’t changed things for me, at least a little.

I’m not a coward, though. As tempting as it is to retreat to my room to clear my head, that would be a shitty way to go about navigating this. So I don’t. I go to his.

He appears in the doorway a few minutes after me. I don’t know if that’s intentional on his part or if the castle had its way with him, but he doesn’t immediately approach me. The distance can be measured in feet, but it feels like he might as well be standing on another planet. I cross my arms over my chest. “You fucked up.”

“I disagree.” His face gives me nothing. “She just needs time to understand.”

I flinch. That’s not what I expected him to say. I should have. “Like I needed time to understand? Because Daddy Azazel knows best?” I laugh harshly. “Right. Of course. Why would I assume you’ve learned anything at all? What’s your motivation to change? All you had to do was wait me out and I fell for you, legs spread.”

“Don’t.” He takes a step toward me. “Don’t do that, Eve. That’s not what this is. That’s not what we are.”

“Isn’t it?” I whisper.

It’s suddenly all too much. I skirt around him to the bathroom and make quick work of getting ready for bed. He doesn’t say a word as he does the same. Or when we strip down and climb into bed. Or when he wraps a cautious arm around my waist and tugs me back into the curve of his body.

“I love you, Eve.”

My chest feels too tight. I love you too. I don’t say it aloud. I can’t say it aloud. I wish hearing those words from him were enough to ward off the dread churning through my stomach.

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CHAPTER 18