Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
ELARIYA
The moment I stepped into the living room and saw Thayden, my skin crawled. Every cell in my body screamed in protest, wanting me to turn around and leave.
He stood by the hearth, his back turned to me. His posture was set in that stoic manner that told me he thought he’d seized the upper hand again.
I lingered by the door frame, taking the small moment to compose myself, but for a heartbeat, my mind went straight back to the wedding that should have been.
I remembered how he’d smiled when my family were at his mercy. He’d had them eating out of his hands like dogs because he’d found out my powers weren’t bound.
He’d threatened them and had them scared to death over what he might do after we got married.
And then, when he hit me…
My stomach twisted violently.
The bastard. It would have happened again. Every time I crossed him or did something that displeased him, he would have made sure he punished me. But the ultimate punishment would have been hurting my family. He would have had them killed eventually out of spite. Because he knew I loved Wolfe.
Thayden might not have known the details, but he knew I lost my virginity to Wolfe. And he knew me. He knew I would have only given myself to someone I loved.
I shoved the memories down and forced myself to become the girl he expected. The girl stuck in a memory loop curse who remembered nothing.
Finally, Thayden turned and his gaze settled on me, expression softening.
He was still handsome, still well-dressed, still carrying himself with the confidence of a man who expected obedience. But something that resembled relief flashed across his face, and I realized he'd been worried.
Maybe a little afraid, too, because of Wolfe.
He’d had words with Thayden after the wedding for hitting me. That had most likely terrified him.
The longer he looked at me, the more I saw the truth.
He’d been worried about me. About how I’d be.
The curse would have robbed me of my memories, but that didn’t stop my family from telling me what transpired.
Mother had already spoken to him and told him no one had mentioned anything to me. As far as I was concerned, nothing happened.
I was still supposed to be the girl who was looking for her father and desperate to break her curse.
Mother worried there was a chance he wouldn’t believe her. I was certain he wouldn’t and it would be left to me to disprove his suspicions.
I schooled my features into polite confusion and stopped a few paces away.
"Sir Thayden." The title felt strange on my tongue.
His shoulders visibly relaxed. "Elariya. It’s good to see you. Please call me Thayden, as you always have.”
I tilted my head and offered a soft smile. “Thayden. It’s good to see you, too.”
Good. I was doing it, acting the part with confidence. But then I’d had so much practice. All I was doing was slipping back into my old shoes.
He searched my face carefully. "How are you doing? It’s been a few weeks since I last saw you."
“I’m… okay. But my memory…” I furrowed my brows and tapped the side of my head.
“It happened yesterday,” he filled in.
I nodded and sighed. “And my father is… gone.” The quiver in my voice was believable. Because it was real. I didn’t have to fake any emotions where my father was concerned. I was both disappointed and worried for him in equal parts.
Due to the gravity of his crimes, I’d purposely made myself forget that locating the ring also meant finding out where he was, too.
Thayden dipped his head. “I’m sorry. We’ve all spent years trying to find him to no avail. But we won’t stop.”
“Thank you. For not giving up.” I amplified the emotion in my tone and slowed my breath so it would look like I was choked up.
“Anything for you.” He smiled, but then his expression hardened. “Have your family told you about us?”
I nodded. “We’re… getting married.”
“Yes. Soon. Did they tell you anything else?”
“That you’ve barely left my side.” The lie came easier than I expected.
Thayden studied me, searching for cracks, searching for anything that didn’t look real. I gave him nothing.
“That’s true. Being present is the most important thing you can do when you love someone.”
It was my turn to study him. Truly study him.
He hadn’t changed one bit. Hadn’t learned anything at all. This monster was going to lie to me all over again and make me believe we were madly in love.
That was fine. Let him do it.
I was the manipulator here. Not him.
I gazed at him, widening my eyes slightly so he’d think his words gripped me.
“It’s okay. That may have been too forward. You’ll remember eventually that you love me, too.”
Bastard, bastard, bastard. “I hope so.”
"Ready to go?"
My breath faltered. “Are we truly to make way to Zyvaris without my family?” It couldn’t hurt to try.
“Yes, I would prefer we go ahead by ourselves.” He set his shoulders back and his jaw tightened. “They can join us for the wedding.”
Even though there were no official dates for that.
Gods, please let this be done as soon as possible.
He moved closer and took both my hands into his. “It’s you and I now, Elariya. I understand you’re nervous and shaken from the memory reset, but I will take care of you now.”
“I just—”
“We will not speak of this again. Come along now. We must make haste. I hope for us to be in Zyvaris by morning.”
And that was that. Discussion over.
He didn’t wait for me to answer. He kept hold of my hand and guided me out to the hallway, where my family waited.
“We are leaving now,” he announced, his gaze sweeping over each of them. “You may say your goodbyes.”
He’d been civil with me, but it was clear he wasn’t going to extend the same graces to anyone else.
Not even to pretend. He turned on his heel and headed out the front door.
I let my shoulders sag, a moment of reprieve from the tension. Gods be good. This was going to be difficult.
As soon as we were sure he was out of earshot, I moved closer to my mother. Grandmother was still looking ahead, her gaze sharp and vengeful.
“Come here, sweetheart.” Mother pulled me in for a hug and whispered in my ear. “Be careful, my girl. We’re playing a very dangerous game.”
“I know,” I whispered back, clutching on to her arm.
“Be safe.” Grandmother said, resting a hand on my shoulder.
The four of us hugged, and I took the moment to carry a piece of them in my heart.
The journey to Zyvaris was endless. I spent most of it pretending to sleep.
It was easier than talking, or even looking at Thayden.
At least when I closed my eyes, my mind drifted to Wolfe and my friends at Vyrenth Hollow. The life I'd left behind only yesterday.
The memory of Wolfe’s final touch lingered stubbornly beneath my skin, deepening the ache in my chest. But the bittersweet ache was something to hold on to, a piece of him that would keep me going.
By the time the carriage finally slowed, my body felt stiff and sore from hours of forced stillness.
It had to be close to lunchtime. We’d been travelling all day yesterday and right through the night. I peered through the window, watching the woodland thin and buildings from the villages emerge.
We were here.
Zyvaris wasn’t as green as Stormfell. There were more villages and market places akin to the capital city, Rohlorien.
Soon, Thayden’s estate came into view.
The manor sat atop the ridge, its pale walls stark against the dark mountains beyond.
Long rows of windows stared out across the land like unblinking eyes.
Everything was immaculate, from the perfectly trimmed hedges to the marble statues standing sentinel throughout the grounds.
Yet despite its beauty, there was no warmth to any of it.
Only order and control. It reminded me so much of its vindictive owner—handsome from a distance but cold the closer you got.
A chill went through me.
This was it.
I was in Zyvaris and at Thayden’s home, venturing into his lair.
I was well into the game now.
Who knew what I might find?
It troubled me to know what lengths Thayden had taken to ally himself with the dark forces.
What did they promise him?
Coldness crept under my skin. I knew his price, knew what he wanted beyond money and power.
Me.
Feeling his gaze on me, I looked at him. His vibrant eyes took me in, still assessing.
“Nervous?” He cocked his head and cast a sidelong glance out the window before looking back at me.
“Very.” I had to seem like I was completely at his mercy.
“Don’t be. You’ll be fine. This is our new home.”
Home.
Blessed Mother. The word scraped against my nerves like blades, leaving me raw from the inside out.
“I know. I just… miss my family.” I nodded, giving him a sheepish smile.
“In time you’ll get used to being without them. I’m here.”
“Of course.”
“It’s been a while since you came here. Do you remember any of it?”
He was referring to what I should remember before the age of fifteen when the curse afflicted me. But now that my memories had returned, I remembered the year after the curse. Mattieu had invited my family for his name day celebration. It was before he handed the estate over to Thayden.
It was during our stay here that the old woman who worked for him mysteriously died.
“Not a lot.” I sighed. “Mostly, I remember our fathers going hunting.”
He smiled at that, a fondness shining in his eyes. “Yes. I remember that, too. They caught pheasants. We had quite the feast that day.”
“We did.” This normalcy made me sick. I didn’t want to be talking to him like this. As if I were okay with this little arrangement, the secrets, and the lies.
The carriage went through the large wrought-iron gates at the entrance of the estate and into a sprawling courtyard that adorned the front of the manor.
Moments later, the coachman reined in the horses and the carriage rolled to a smooth stop. A footman hurried forward to open the door.
Thayden stepped out first, then reached for my hand to help me out. I took it although I hated him touching me even in the simplest of ways.
We went inside, where a handmaiden appeared at the base of the grand sweeping staircase.