Chapter 33

Chapter

Thirty-Three

Ruune

I stood frozen in my doorway, my heart threatening to pound its way from my chest. Caroline was in front of me, her usually immaculate blonde hair a disheveled mess, and her cheeks streaked with tears.

My mind raced through a hundred terrible scenarios, each worse than the last. Had my uncle died? Had something happened to Olivia?

"What's wrong?" I managed to croak out, my throat suddenly dry as the deserts of Zar'thax.

Caroline pushed past me into my room, her voice trembling as she said, "It's all wrong."

Confusion replaced my panic as I followed her. She sank into one of the well-worn chairs facing the hearth, the firelight casting flickering shadows across her face.

"No one is dead?" I asked, needing to confirm my worst fears weren't realized.

She stared at me for a moment before her eyes widened in realization. "Oh, no. I’m so sorry I scared you. Griff is with his father, but there's no news."

Relief washed over me, so intense it made me dizzy. I sank into the chair next to her, running a hand through my hair. "Then how is it all wrong?”

Caroline bit her lip, looking more vulnerable than I'd seen her. "I think I made a mistake coming to Valoria. I adore Griff, of course, but I miss my friends, and New York, and especially Olivia. I feel so out of place here.”

The laughter bubbled up before I could stop it, relief causing me to laugh when I should have kept my expression serious

Caroline's eyes flashed. "It's not funny! I have no one else to talk to. Griff is busy, and he has too much on his mind already.”

I sobered quickly, guilty that I’d reacted so badly. "You're right, I'm sorry. I wasn't laughing at you, Caroline. I was laughing because I’m so relieved that you feel the same way I do.”

Her eyebrows shot up. "You feel this way, too?”

I nodded, dropping my gaze. "I miss New York, too. And Olivia." The admission felt both freeing and terrifying.

“But you’ve been away from your home for ages. I thought you’d be glad to be back.”

I shook my head. “Not if it means leaving Olivia."

A knowing look spread across her face. “How did I not see this before? You're in love with Liv, aren't you?"

I sighed, slumping back in my chair. “I hoped it was an infatuation that would fade, but it’s more than that. I’ve never felt this way before. I can’t sleep. I don’t have any desire to eat.”

“Nope, that’s definitely love.” Then her expression turned serious. "Ruune, we need to contact her. You need to tell her how you feel."

I shook my head vehemently. "No. She only wanted a fake boyfriend and when I left, she made it clear that was all she wanted.”

Caroline shook her head. “I’m not so sure about that. When I was packing, she looked way too sad for it just to be about me.” She must have seen the conflict in my eyes because she leaped to her feet. “That's it. We're calling her right now."

Before I could stop her, she'd snatched my communication device from the table. With practiced ease that made me wonder who’d taught her, she initiated an interplanetary video call.

"Caroline, wait—" I began, but it was too late. The device was trilling and then the call connected. Suddenly Olivia's voice filled the room.

"Caroline!" Olivia's excited squeal made my heart skip a beat. "I miss you so much!"

"I miss you too, Liv!" Caroline beamed at the small screen. "How are you? How's New York?"

"It's good, it's good," Olivia said, her smile bright enough to light up the room. Then she paused, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Actually, I have some news. We might not be so far apart anymore.”

Caroline's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"I've decided to reactivate my application to become a tribute bride for the Drexians!”

The world seemed to tilt on its axis. She was doing what? Part of me wanted to snatch the device and ask her what she thought she was doing. But another part of me knew I had no say in what she did. I’d never been her real boyfriend, and I had no claim over her. The realization was a punch to the gut.

Caroline gaped at the screen, her eyes wide with shock. “Are you serious? What about Ruune?”

“You know that wasn’t real. He was fun, but he never wanted anything more than that. It’s time for me to think about the future.” Olivia’s voice cracked. “This is a good thing, Caroline. You’ll be with a Valorian, and I’ll be with a Drexian.”

The pain in my chest was unbearable. Before Caroline could say anything else, before I could hear any more of Olivia’s excitement, I reached out and disconnected the link.

The room fell into silence, and the only sound interrupting the hush was the crackling of the fire.

"Ruune" Caroline reached out to touch my arm.

I flinched and pulled away. "She's right. It's better this way."

"No, it's not!" Caroline exploded, her calm demeanor replaced by fiery determination. She grabbed my arm, yanking me from the chair with surprising strength. "You are not giving up that easily, Ruune of Valoria!"

I blinked at her, too stunned by her outburst to resist as she pushed me toward the door. "What are you doing?"

"I'm saving you from being the biggest idiot in the universe. You are going to Earth, and you are going to fix this. You are going to tell Olivia exactly how you feel about her, and you are going to do it before she signs up to marry some Drexian!"

"But—" I started to protest as she pulled open the door.

Caroline cut off my comment with a glare that could have melted steel as she shoved me into the corridor. "If you don't go to Earth and fix this right now, I swear by all the stars in the sky, I will have Griff make you the official court jester when he takes the throne."

I opened my mouth to point out that Valoria didn't have court jesters, but the words died in my throat. She was right. I needed to fix this—and not over a vid call.

Before I knew what I was doing, I was sprinting down the stone hallway, my footsteps echoing off the ancient walls. My mind raced even faster than my feet. What if I was too late?

But underneath all the questions and doubts, one thought consumed me—I loved Olivia, and I wasn't going to lose her without a fight.