Liar.
Alaric pushed himself off the tree and stalked closer. “You did last night. Briony offered you a gift, herself and her love, and it scared you. I know about your mother. I know what my father did to your aunt.” He jabbed a finger in Cass’s direction. “I think you based your decisions on what are obviously horrible examples of relationships, which makes you a damned fool. You kept yourself withdrawn, didn’t get too deep into emotions and focused on other things like your revenge against Daxon.”
A simmering anger started in Cass’s stomach. “Speaking from experience, are we?”
Alaric froze, his eyes narrowing. Then, “Perhaps.”
Cass shook his head. “What about your own fiancée, the one we never hear about?”
Alaric’s jaw tightened. “Ours was a business arrangement. Necessity. Affection didn’t play a part.”
“That was what I had envisioned for myself.”
But then I got to know your sister and she turned my world upside down. She is kind and strong and passionate. She deserves everything she ever wanted.
Alaric swore again and turned away.
“I can’t help you. Not if you’re going to remain steadfast in your belief that you can’t love her in return.” He stopped and looked over his shoulder. “And if you truly can’t, then she’s better off without you.”
Cass balled his hands into fists. Why could Alaric of all people not see that he had done the right thing in setting Briony free to find true happiness?
“I expect you to be out of the palace by noon today,” Alaric called over his shoulder. “Briony encouraged me not to void your reinstated citizenship, even though I could have since you terminated the contract when you ended the engagement.”
“What if we signed a new contract?”
Alaric paused, then slowly turned back to face Cass.
“I don’t want or need your money.”
“Linnaea does.”
“Not anymore. The Swiss ambassador has offered us financial aid.”
“An offer that I’m sure is nowhere near as generous as the one I offered.”
“We’ll make do,” Alaric ground out.
“Or you could listen to my new proposal, one that won’t tie anyone down to any agreements and keep Linnaea on this new path.”
As he said the words, Cass was filled with a sense of rightness that had been missing when he’d signed the contracts with Daxon and Alaric last month, and when he’d signed the contract with Briony. On those days, his thirst for revenge had overridden what the focus should have been on.
But now, in this moment, he knew he was doing the right thing. Not to exact revenge, not to secure a place for his family, but because it was the right thing to do for his country.
“What are you proposing?”
Alaric’s voice was cautious, his face a solemn mask.
“Everything we’ve discussed the past few weeks, minus the marriage. I won’t force Briony into another agreement against her will. My only condition is that my arrangement be with you and not Daxon.”
A grim smile crossed Alaric’s face. “After all this time, you would give up your revenge?”
Cass shrugged as he started walking. “It never should have been about revenge in the first place. Once the details are taken care of, I’ll be leaving for Tulay.”
Alaric fell into step beside him. “You’re just going to leave?”
“Yes.” After last night’s disaster, Linnaea no longer felt like home. Neither did Tulay. Perhaps he would never find a place to call home.
Alaric shook his head again.