Page 45 of Rapunzel Unchained
I do not and will not ever love you.
The rage and disgust on Gage’s face churned something ugly inside of me. Was I ruining them? I glanced around the room at three men who had rallied to my cause. Were they here because they wanted to be or because of their love for me?
Nick said they agreed with me. But did they really? Did they think Adam was being too idealistic? I was definitely the more pragmatic out of the two of us. I only wished Adam could see it my way.
Gage, on the other hand, should have agreed with me. Out of all of them, he has the most blood on his hands already. Was it simply out of loyalty to Adam and the council that he stands against me? Or was it something else? He had finally started to open up to me before. He’d even let me see his face.
And yet...
He couldn’t come to terms with the fact that the Eva they saved and the Eva I am now was one and the same. The mage was stubborn, and it would take nothing short of an act of God to get him to change his mind.
Shoving those thoughts away, I focused on Nick. “What did you want to show me?”
Nick found the controller for the television and pushed a few buttons before a news channel appeared. The date and time in the corner showed it was from earlier in the day. My brows furrowed as Adam appeared on the screen with one of those sticks pointed at his face.
“Arch Mage Adam,” the reporter called out. “Is it true that you and Rebecca have called off your engagement? Can you tell us what happened?”
A small gasp escaped before I could hold it in.
Rebecca placed a hand on my shoulder from behind the couch I sat on. I glanced up at her, questions whirling through my mind. I didn’t voice them now, but she certainly knew there would be an inquisition later.
“Unfortunately, it is true. I’m sorry to tell you but there was no big scandal. We both want different things, and I still care for her very much and wish her all the happiness in the world.”
Nick pushed a button, and the video of Adam sped up until it started playing normal again. I barely could pay attention to it, my heart thumping in my ears.
Adam broke the engagement. Or maybe Rebecca did? Either way, he wasn’t attached to her anymore.
Elation filled me. A desire to run to him, kiss him, beg him to help me wrapped around my every thought. Then a hand on my thigh, squeezing slightly drew me back down to earth.
I glanced over at Luke, who smiled in understanding. His fingers traced a path up and down my thigh. Blake, on the other side, held my hand firmly with his own. The small brush of his fingers against my wrist made my pulse jump.
“Pay attention to this,” Luke murmured into my ear, gesturing with his free hand to the television.
Zane sat on a chair to the left of us, his eyes softening as he took us in before turning his gaze to the television as well.
A new reporter was speaking this time. “You have just stepped into your role, and yet you are pushing for a bill that many would say is a radical change in our way of life. Do you think that you are, as some are saying, pushing for too much too soon? What would your grandfather think of this new path you are trying to set the council on?”
The condescending tone to their voice as they spoke to Adam set my teeth on edge, my fingers tightening around Blake’s. He squeezed back, grounding me to the couch in that moment, keeping that rage inside of me from becoming all encompassing.
Adam ran his hand through his spikey, ash blonde hair and then stopped, as if remembering where he was, who was looking at him. “My grandfather has long believed that we need change. The balance of the human-mage alliance has teetered for far too long toward the mages, and I believe that we are ready to release the reins.”
The reporter coughed to cover a laugh. “It doesn’t seem like the other council members agree with you. A three to two vote. Ouch. How will you convince the others that it's time to change?”
“It will take time, but I believe we will get there if we have the patience and drive to do it.” His eyes locked on me through the screen, as if he were saying those things directly to me.
Three to two? My insides seethed.
I was up and out of my seat before either twin could calm me down. “I’m going to kill her.” My hands flexed at my side, burning magic seeping out as my rage boiled to the surface.
“Eva,” Luke began, crossing the room to stand near me but not touching me. I didn’t blame him, I’d likely burn the whole house down with how pissed off I felt right then. “It’s alright. It’s just a small setback.”
I turned my glower on him, my words stumbling from my mouth in a torrid wave of vitriol. “I knew she was being too agreeable. I should have sic’d her own dog on her, let him chowdown on her face. Then see if those fancy treatments could fix her mangled face.”
Luke continued trying to soothe me, his words nothing but noise in the face of my blood pumping in my ears.
If I’d been in my right mind, I would have thought about what Nick would think of me now. He’d been on my side as soon as he stepped into Rebecca’s house. Would he backtrack his support after seeing me lose control like this?
Zane’s voice, but not Zane’s, pulled me from my tirade of murderous thoughts. “I wondered how long it would take you to stop trying to please them.”
