Vyan let out a harsh, derisiveugh that echoed through the forest. "I am jealous? Please, Your Imperial Highness, do you even hear yourself?"


    Easton''s cold eyes remained steady. "I hear myself perfectly fine, Your Grace."


    Vyan''sughter died abruptly, reced by a deadly serious expression. "Then enlighten me. What possible reason could I have to be jealous of you regarding Lady Iyana?"


    Ronan sensed the brewing storm between them and took a cautious step back. Easton has struck a nerve; Vyan looks furious. What do I do?


    "For starters, you have been watching us since yesterday, going around hand in hand," Easton said, his tone icy and taunting. He was intentionally trying to provoke Vyan.


    Narrowing his eyes slightly, he thought, show me your face, Grand Duke.


    "That must have felt quite like a thorn in your side," Easton continued. "Then, came the rumors this morning. It must have ripped your chest apart to hear those things about the two of us, right?"


    Vyan scoffed, incredulity dripping from his voice. "Why in the world would I care about any of that?"


    "Because you have feelings for her, don''t you?" Easton pressed, a hint of triumph glinting in his eyes. "You are in love with her."


    Vyan shook his head, a dark chuckle escaping his lips, mingling with the rustling leaves.


    "I had no idea you were so narrow-minded, Your Imperial Highness. Since when did caring for somebody equate to romantic feelings? The only feelings I have for Lady Iyana are purely tonic."


    "And you expect me to believe that?" Easton challenged.


    Their faces now mere inches apart, tension crackling like a storm.


    "Believe what you want," Vyan retorted sharply. "It''s not my job to manage your perceptions."


    "So, you are happy about our engagement?"


    "Oh, no," Vyan''s lips twisted into a mocking smile. "Happy isn''t the word I would use."


    "I knew it—"


    "Because," Vyan cut him off, his voice suddenly filled with fierce protectiveness, "I care for her. And I don''t want her marrying someone who is hell-bent on crushing her dreams."


    Easton felt his blood boil at the usation as he protested, "What do you mean? I am not hell-bent on crushing her dreams."


    "Oh, really? Is that so?" Vyan''s tone dripped with sarcasm. "Then why aren''t you letting her go? Just call off the goddamn wedding and give her back the freedom she deserves. Let her be the Commander she has always dreamt to be."


    Most of Vyan''s loathing for Easton stemmed from the crown prince''s obsessive need to keep Iyana caged. If Easton genuinely loved Iyana, Vyan could almost understand.


    But this? This was not true love. This was some sort of twisted, possessive nonsense masquerading as love. How could anyone im to love someone and then proceed to stomp on that person''s happiness?


    Did Easton not see that the closer their wedding date got, the more it broke Iyana? She always lost the light in her eyes whenever her wedding was brought up. Did Easton not notice that? Or did he notice it and every time decided to ignore her silent plea for help?


    Was making her his wife really more important than making her happy? Vyan would never understand something like that.


    Vyan could stab himself if he knew it would make Iyana happy, and here, Easton couldn''t even… sigh. It was so frustrating.


    "You talk as if I am the one stopping her from being the Commander!" Easton shouted. His icyposure was finally cracking. "She needs Aura for that, and she—"


    "She has it!" Vyan interjected, his frustration bubbling over.


    "—she doesn''t have it…" Easton''s words faltered, the truth spilled by Vyan hanging in the air.


    Vyan pped a hand over his mouth.


    Shit. Iyana didn''t tell this clueless bastard about her Aura, and I… I just let it slip.


    Panic churned in his gut.


    "What I meant by ''it'' was qualifications! She has all the qualifications to be the Commander," Vyan tried to backpedal, but the damage was done.


    "She achieved Aura…? When?" Easton''s astonishment was evident. He had absolutely no idea about it. "And… she didn''t tell me?"


    Because she clearly didn''t see the point in telling you; it''s not like you would change your mind, Vyan thought with disain but bit back the words.


    At the same time, Easton''s mind was a storm of betrayal. She told him, but not me? Or maybe she did try to tell me— ah, was it that time in my office? About wanting to continue her job for a few more days?


    Once Easton had a moment to absorb the bombshell, Vyan''s eyes shed with a mix of skepticism and regret. He had inadvertently ignited a firestorm, and now the least he could do was try and ask Easton.


    Vyan nonchntly slid his hands into his pockets and quipped, "So, now that you know, are you nning to do anything about it?"


    Easton''s voice dropped to a dangerously low tone, a storm barely restrained. "Do what, exactly?"


    "Oh, I don''t know." Vyan shrugged with exaggerated indifference. "Maybe call off the wedding? Let her go? Set her free?"


    Easton''s jaw tightened as he mulled it over for a moment, finallying to a grim conclusion. "I can''t do that."


    "Fair enough. I expected that of you," Vyan responded, his smile infuriatingly rxed. "If you won''t do it, there is not much we can do, right? I mean, it''s not like we can force you—the Crown Prince of Haynes."


    "So this is your true face, huh, Your Grace?" Easton''s re could have melted steel, but Vyan''s annoying smile stayed firmly in ce, undeterred.


    "Absolutely. Congrattions on getting to unlock this side of mine."


    "To think I actually thought of you as a nice person until recently," Easton let out in mocking disbelief.


    "I yed the part quite well, didn''t I?" Vyan almost seemed gleeful, while Easton only got more angered.


    "You did. Even His Imperial Majesty is a fan of yours," he stated, a hint of threat seeping into his voice. "But not for long. It will onlyst till I expose you in front of him."


    "Expose what exactly?" Vyan chuckled, ridiculing him. "I am pretty sure even your father doesn''t want you to go through with this marriage. Besides," he shrugged his shoulder, "what have I even done? Is it so wrong to care for somebody and wish the best for them?"


    "Oh, now, I get it. I get why my father likes you," Easton deducted, a look of disgust on his face. "You are just like him—an opportunist snake."


    Vyanughed and mused, "How courageous of you to insult both the emperor and grand duke of this nation altogether in one sentence."


    "You said all these altruistic things about Iyana''s dreams and freedom, but tell me, honestly, aren''t you saying all that as a cover-up to the fact that you want her for yourself?"


    "Yes, that''s what I would have wanted if I saw her as an object like you," Vyan spat out.


    "I don''t see her as an object! I— ugh, it''s pointless arguing with you. I am just done talking to you," Easton scoffed and turned on his heel, needing to escape Vyan''s presence before his self-control snapped entirely.


    Vyan watched Easton''s rigid, retreating back with a smirk that barely concealed the ruthless intent in his eyes. His gaze was sharp and predatory.


    Expose me to whomever you want, Easton. What do you even know about my deeds? Vyan thought with an eye roll.


    All Easton discovered was the fact that Vyan was not an always-smiling, good-hearted, spineless person. And the fact, apparently, Vyan had strong opinions on his former liege''s to-be husband.


    That was all Easton knew. So there was nothing for Vyan to worry about in that department. As for the wedding itself…


    I am not about to let a self-serving bastard like you marry Iyana. Over my dead body will I let her life turn into a miserable nightmare.


    His thoughts grew colder and darker. If ites to it, Easton, I will not hesitate to end you myself.


    As Vyan''s resolve strengthened, he took a sharp breath, his apathetic eyes flickering back to life. "Ronan, let''s go," he prompted, deciding to press on with their hunt.


    Taking a step forward, he realized he didn''t hear the familiar crunch of leaves behind him. He nced over his shoulder, only to find an rming absence of hispanion.


    "Ronan…?" Vyan called out, a chill creeping down his spine as his heart plummeted to the pit of his stomach.


    "Ronan, where did you go?" His voice grew louder, tinged with an edge of frantic energy.


    "Ronan?!" Desperation seeped into his tone, his heartbeat now a relentless drum in his chest. He spun around, scanning the dark forest as if the third prince might materialize out of thin air.


    Hearing Vyan''s holler, Easton strolled back, an eyebrow raised in annoyance. "What''s wrong now?" he asked, his tone full of with irritation.


    Vyan turned to him, his face a canvas of panic. "I think… I lost Ronan."