Eventually, I slipped out of my bed. There was no way I’d fall asleep again anyway. I opened my window wide, inhaling the crisp early morning air. Outside, the birds were waking up, their morning song soothing in its own way. I leaned against the window ledge and enjoyed the view over the tree-lined lake. From this vantage point, it looked like a huge mirror, still except for a few gentle ripples where fish burst through the surface. The sun rose behind the tree line, turning the horizon gray rather than yellow and orange. Footsteps crunched outside. I peered out of the window, searching for the source of the sounds. Samuel wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye, and I doubted Danilo would, either—at least not without saying goodbye to his sister.
Samuel and Danilo came into view, dressed in gym shorts and tight t-shirts. I hid behind the curtains so they wouldn’t detect me, but I still got a good look at them. They talked for a couple of minutes before they started jogging and disappeared in the forest. I took a shower and dressed in another beautiful halter summer dress. When I emerged from the bathroom, Danilo and Samuel were back from their run and were working out on the lower deck by the lake.
For a few minutes, I watched them doing push-ups and crunches before I decided to stop the stalking and head downstairs. The house was quiet, except for the chirping of the birds that drifted through the open windows. I made myself a black tea, a Darjeeling, my favorite—with milk and sugar naturally. The terrace door was ajar, letting the morning air in. It was cool and crisp. I tiptoed closer to the terrace door, peering outside. I couldn’t see much from my position, so I crept out onto the patio with my teacup. Danilo and Samuel were still busy with their workout. I curled up in the lounge shell, even though I couldn’t see them.
I sipped at my tea and read the messages I’d gotten from friends at school as well as Mom. Soon, I heard them coming closer.
I was about to announce my presence but then Danilo said, “People are asking many questions. It was inevitable. I hope you have the right answers. I don’t want Emma to find out about the deal. Most people don’t dare spreading their rumors yet.”
What kind of deal?
“Don’t worry. I can handle it, or do you really think I want Sofia to find out you only agreed to marry her if I married your sister? She’d be fucking heartbroken.”
I stifled a gasp, my chest clenching with acute pain. Danilo had only agreed to marrying me in exchange for Samuel’s engagement to Emma? But Emma and his bond had only been made this year . . . right?
Or had everyone just kept the truth from me and the public all this time? Mom, Dad, Samuel, Danilo. How many more had known?
“Marriage in our world is based on logic.”
Danilo sounded so . . . emotionless. He hadn’t been emotionless in the slightest when Serafina had been concerned.
I backed deeper into the lounge shell, scared they’d catch sight of me. The opening of the shell faced toward the other direction of the lake, not the path leading up from the lower deck. I didn’t want to hear more, but I couldn’t run off without them noticing. I closed my eyes briefly, trying to compose myself. I didn’t want to lose it now.
“You know it. I know it,” Samuel said, his voice briefly muffled as if he were towel-wiping his face. “But girls want romance and magic. They don’t want cold logic. Especially Sofia.”
“Emma’s the same way,” Danilo said regretfully. “It’s our duty to make the bond work.”
I was a chore.
His duty.
He was only marrying me so Samuel would marry Emma in turn. He’d never wanted me for myself.
He probably still wanted Serafina after all these years.
I blamed her and I hated myself for feeling that way. It wasn’t her fault that my fiancé couldn’t let go of her.
I blinked rapidly to stop myself from bawling. I didn’t want to cry because of Danilo. He didn’t deserve my tears.
I tucked my legs in, holding my breath when their steps came even closer, but then they went into the lodge. I waited a couple more heartbeats before I slid out of the lounge shell and ran down the path, away from the lodge. I didn’t stop until I reached the lower deck, where I sank down and lowered my feet into the cold water.
I tried to let the lake calm me. I’d always known this marriage wasn’t based on emotions. It had been a deal from the very start—me as a substitute for Serafina. Still the knowledge about the additional deal tore at me. Emma didn’t know, either. For the briefest moment, I considered telling her, but then I decided against it. The truth would only cause her heartache. At least, she should enter her marriage thinking we weren’t exchanged like cattle.
I sat like that for a long time until my toes became numb from the cold water.
“Hey, what are you doing out here all alone?” Anna asked, startling me.
She sank down beside me, still in pajama shorts and a top. I felt like a broken record whining to her about Danilo, but I needed to get it off my chest. She listened quietly, a frown on her face. When I was done, I waited for her to start a rant, but she didn’t look that shocked.
“Did you know?” I asked, horrified.
She shook her head. Her eyes were still puffy with sleep and her hair all over the place. Her reactions were slower, too. “I didn’t know. It’s not like Dad shares these kinds of things with me. I mostly find out about them when I sneak around the house or force Leonas to do the spying
