Darby was from a middle-of-nowhere farm town. She’d had family who loved her enough to give her up to the House of Dragons for a better life. Clover and Hadrian had nothing and no one. Then, he’d been picked for the House of Dragons, and she’d found the Wastes.

“I know it’s a spectacle,” he finally said, dissolving his anger and releasing her hand. “But it’s what Darby wants.”

“She doesn’t know what she wants.”

“Don’t do that,” Hadrian said. “Don’t diminish her choice just because it wasn’t you.”

Clover winced. She hated that he’d gotten to the heart of it.

Darby was too good for a lousy human. She had always been too good for Clover. Still, they’d shared one perfect kiss at a party just like this. Clover had thought this would be easier. It wasn’t.

“Fine. We’ve seen what we came for. Can we go?” Clover asked.

Hadrian nodded. “Clove …”

“It’s fine, sweetheart,” she teased. “You don’t need to coddle me. I’m not breakable. Unless you want to try.” She winked at him.

He flushed from his neck to the tips of his sharply pointed ears. “That isn’t …”

She laughed. “I know, Hadrian.”

He cleared his throat again. “I don’t want to hurt Darby.”

Clover startled at the words. Was he saying that he was interested?

“What are you saying? Speak plainly.”

“Don’t you know?”

“Say it,” she commanded.

His gaze traveled to her lips and back up. “I shouldn’t want this, but I do. She wanted you first. Her feelings matter.”

“So, she gets to do that”—she gestured to Darby standing with a tall gentleman, her hand on his sleeve as she laughed—“but we can’t do this?”

He gulped. “She still likes you.”

“She chose. And you said so.”

He nodded and then took a step back. “She chose, but it’s still wrong.”

Clover wanted to tell him to live dangerously, but she could feel this thing between them was strange and precarious. If she pushed, he’d shut down. Darby was one of his closest friends. Clover still ached for Darby. But she’d wanted Hadrian in other ways for too long to ignore it when he admitted to wanting her back. She’d have them both as lovers if she could. If they’d let her.

But not yet.

Then, they heard the room go silent. Clover stared at Kerrigan stuck between Fordham and some unknown male. She heard the word betrothal, felt Kerrigan’s shock from here, and then she was leaving.

“Oh gods,” Clover gasped.