Chapter 5

I set the knife down and turned to her. "What happened?"

Her eyes were red, and her voice shook. "Miss, there are rumors all over the royal city."

"People are saying the girl the King's loved since he was young is back... and that he's going to break the bond so he can marry her."

"Now the whole city's talking about how he threw you away. The things they're saying... I can't even repeat them."

It hit me like a punch to the chest. A dull, heavy ache that made it hard to breathe.

On top of that, there wasn't much to buy in a town as small as Millbrook. If we were staying, we needed supplies, and the closest real market was back in the city.

I pulled on a veil and went back with Tess.

While I waited outside the grain store, my eyes drifted down the street.

The gates of the Keep were quiet. But in the fancy jewelry shop next door, I spotted two people I knew way too well.

Lucian stood at the counter, with Vivienne right beside him.

He picked up a silver hairpin, looked at it for a second, paid, and slid it carefully into his pocket.

Vivienne leaned into him and asked, all sweet, for a pearl choker. He said yes.

They looked like a couple on their honeymoon.

I glanced once and looked away.

The bond was about to be broken. What was left to watch?

I grabbed the supplies and turned to go.

But before I made it to the city gates, a crowd of pack women boxed me in.

I didn't recognize a single face.

"Well, look who it is. The Luna herself."

A heavyset woman was the first to grin.

"Luna? Haven't you heard? The King dumped her. The real one's back!"

Another one jumped in, her voice dripping with contempt.

"She always walked around like she was better than us. Now look at her, sneaking out of town like a rat."

They all burst out laughing. Somebody reached for my veil.

"Let's see what a dumped Luna looks like!"

I jerked out of the way. My whole body went cold.

For six years as Luna, I'd been kind to everyone. I'd never once looked down on anybody. I didn't even know these women.

But the minute my title was gone, the same people who used to be too scared to look me in the eye were spitting in my face.

"Word is Miss Vivienne's the King's true love. What tricks did you pull to steal her spot?"

Another woman shoved her way to the front, her eyes darting around.

"Where are you running off to? Too ashamed to show your face?"

I didn't answer. They only got louder, and nastier.

"You stole your sister's life. Now the real one's back, so the fake can crawl off!"

"You knew he loved someone else the whole time, and you hung on anyway, didn't you?"

I pushed the fingers out of my face. "Please. Let me through."

Nobody moved. They pressed in tighter.

Tess screamed and shoved at them. "How dare you! That's your Luna you're talking to—"

"Luna? She doesn't deserve the name!" someone spat.

Mouths kept opening and closing all around me, closing in like a net.

I gritted my teeth and pushed forward. Tess kept herself between me and them, yelling for them to move, which only made them laugh harder.

Somebody shoved me hard from behind. My ankle twisted, and I pitched forward.

My elbow slammed into the stones.

Dust flew up. I landed on my knees right in front of them.

The shame and the pain hit me all at once.

A tear dropped into the dirt. I wiped my face hard and tried to get up.

The crowd roared with laughter.

Eggs and rocks came flying from every direction.

"Dumped and still acting high and mighty!"

"Get out of our city!"

"You owe her six years!"

A sharp rock caught my temple. Blood ran down my face right away.

I lifted my dirty face. Through blurry eyes, I spotted someone I recognized at the back of the crowd.

Vivienne's maid. She was biting back a smile and giving a little nod to the big, burly women next to her.

One of them grabbed my bloody hand and slammed it down on a page she'd brought with her. My blood soaked into the runes, and pain tore through me as the mate bond snapped.

So Vivienne couldn't even wait for me to do it myself.

I swayed to my feet, covered in filth.

Blood and dirt ran down my temple like an ugly tear.

But I kept my back straight and walked toward the city gates, one step at a time.

Only one thought was left in my head.

Lucian, from today on, I never want to see you again. Not in this life, and not in the next.