She stares straight at the mark of the bond Roiven forced me to forge with him. Aria blinks, and then her gaze slides slowly over to Roiven. He’s still got his long-sleeved coat and his gloves on, nevermind that it’s warm inside this room.
Aria grabs her brother’s hand.
“Ari,” Roiven says warningly, pulling his hand back, but he doesn’t fight. Too late. She tugs his glove off. The bond mark extends down past the hem of his sleeve, coiling around his hand like roots grew where my fingers gripped him tightly.
She gasps, her eyes locked on her brother’s hand like there’s a face growing there.
Aria drops the glove onto the ground and steps slowly back. I hear murmurs break out among the rest of their coven, but can’t make them out.
“We agreed you should get close to the knight,” Aria says, hervoice high and shatteringly tense. “But what in all the gods’ names possessed you to make her yourwife?”
31
For amoment the hall is silent. My mouth hangs open as I stare at Roiven’s back, trying to put a coherent thought together.
I don’t know what feels worse. The idea that Roiven was told to get close to me, or…
Did his sister just saywife? Am I hallucinating?
How could I possibly have gotten married without knowing about it? I stare down at the marks on my left arm.Kin bond,Roiven called it. Nor had one, and come to think of it Roiven had said they and Hevrin were married, but…
The other witches in the room break out into argument, all talking over each other. The seated woman wheels her chair towards me and holds out a hand, as if expecting me to show off my marks to her. I step back, bristling.
“I’m not his wife,” I announce.
“Caiteven…” Roiven sighs, turning to face me. I stare back at him and shake my head, taking another step away.
“We’re not married. You never said anything about that.”
Last night. When I said it could be meaningless, and he said it wasn’t that simple with the bond, I never for a moment thought…
“This is ridiculous. Surely you—” Torain starts.
“Roiven, you must—” Aria says at the same time.
“Her?” Avreen says.
“It’s complicated,” Roiven tells me, his voice low. I can tell he’s anxious. Well, fuck him, I don’t care how he feels. The only answer thatshouldhave come out of his mouth wasof course we aren’t married, they’re making a stupid joke. He takes a step toward me, closing the distance. The witch runs a hand through his hair and exhales hard.
“Say we aren’t married.” My voice shakes.
“I didn’t mean to anger you.”
“And yet here we are.” I snap. “You lied about this.”
“It wasn’t an outright lie. I can’t…”
He’s about to tell me the enchantment doesn’t let him lie, like I don’t already know that. But it didn’t stop him from deceiving me.
“You didn’t tell me the whole truth.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Then undo it.” My voice sharpens with each word.
“I told you, the bond can’t be broken.”
“Of all the utterly insane things that have happened in the last week, no, the lastdecadeof my life,thishas to be the worst thing anybody—” Even as I say the words I feel myself regret them, because Harfor and Malkin and watching the Governor's ship sink is worse, terribly worse, but I want Roiven to feel ashamed.