Heart Of Yggrisial [7]

"Heir Himmel may marry the First Princess of the Solace Kingdom instead."

"Wait, what?"

I frowned, trying to process Hayes' words, my mind struggling to catch up.

"You heard me correctly, Heir Himmel," Hayes replied with a small, calculated smile. "You should consider yourself lucky—"

"I refuse." I cut him off mid-sentence, and his smug expression faltered for the first time. "I have no intention of marrying—"

"Are you even hearing yourself?" One of the elders chimed in, looking at me. "You are rejecting a princess of the Zmeior race."

"So what?" I scoffed, turning a glare toward her. "I couldn't care less about some random princess I've never even met—"

"You can't insult our princess in front of me," Hayes snapped, his tone venomous as his composure cracked.

"You think I care—"

"Is this the heir you have chosen, Lady Mariam?" one of the elders scoffed, looking at her.