the Villainess they took for granted

Chapter 35: Chapter 35: The First Move

By noon, Marian had convinced herself that she was being ridiculous.

Unfortunately, that did not stop her.

The realization was deeply inconvenient.

She had spent the entire morning arguing with herself.

It had been an embarrassingly one-sided defeat.

Because every time reason presented an excellent argument—

This is childish.

This is petty.

This is a terrible idea.

Another voice immediately answered.

Yes.

And?

Marian found this extremely unhelpful.

The hunting lodge buzzed with activity.

Guests moved through hallways.

Servants hurried between rooms.

Plans for the afternoon were discussed over lunch.

Normal.

Everything felt painfully normal.

Marian was beginning to resent normality.

Especially because Adrian appeared perfectly capable of participating in it.

He sat several seats away.

Speaking with two advisors and a military officer.

Focused.

Composed.

Collected.

The Crown Prince.

Looking at him, nobody would suspect that two days ago he had nearly shattered her heart.

The realization stung.

Not because Adrian seemed happy.

He didn’t.

Not really.

Marian knew him too well for that.

There were shadows beneath his eyes.

A faint tension around his mouth.

Moments where his attention drifted.

Tiny things.

Things most people would never notice.

Marian did.

Unfortunately.

The problem was that those signs weren’t enough.

Because if Adrian was suffering, he was suffering quietly.

And from where Marian sat, it looked suspiciously similar to functioning.

Meanwhile she felt as though she had spent the last forty-eight hours being emotionally attacked by furniture.

Entirely unfair.

A servant refilled her tea.

Marian thanked him automatically.

Then made the mistake of glancing across the room.

Cassian.

The realization arrived immediately.

Followed by annoyance.

Because apparently her brain had decided one impossible man wasn’t enough.

Now it insisted on thinking about two.

Cassian stood near one of the windows.

Speaking with several nobles.

Relaxed.

Easy.

Comfortable.

As though he belonged wherever he happened to be.

Which, infuriatingly, he did.

Women laughed.

Men gravitated toward him.

Even elderly duchesses seemed fond of him.

The man possessed the social instincts of a golden retriever.

An extremely attractive golden retriever.

Marian immediately regretted that thought.

Profoundly.

Across the room, Cassian laughed at something someone said.

The sound carried.

Low.

Warm.

Marian looked away.

Immediately.

Because that was becoming a problem.

A very specific problem.

One with dark hair.

And entirely too much confidence.

The luncheon continued.

Marian attempted to focus on the conversation around her.

Failed.

Repeatedly.

Then someone announced plans for the afternoon.

A casual gathering near the southern gardens.

Archery.

Refreshments.

Music.

Several nobles expressed interest.

Including Elena.

Marian’s fingers tightened around her teacup.

Elena smiled at something Adrian said.

Adrian answered.

Nothing unusual.

Nothing inappropriate.

Nothing that should have bothered her.

The worst part?

It still did.

The familiar ache returned.

Sharp.

Immediate.

And suddenly Marian was tired.

So tired.

Tired of understanding.

Tired of waiting.

Tired of pretending she wasn’t hurt.

The dangerous thought returned.

Persistent thing.

Let him wonder.

The idea settled quietly into her mind.

Not dramatic.

Not reckless.

Simple.

Let him wonder.

For one moment Marian looked toward Adrian.

The Crown Prince was listening to a report.

Focused entirely elsewhere.

As always.

Something inside her hardened.

Just slightly.

Enough.

By the time the party gathered in the southern gardens, Marian had made a decision.

A tiny one.

A harmless one.

A completely innocent one.

Which was precisely why it was dangerous.

The gardens stretched across a gentle hillside.

Autumn flowers bloomed between stone paths.

Tables had been arranged beneath white canopies.

Guests mingled freely.

Marian arrived a few minutes late.

Not intentionally.

Mostly.

The distinction felt irrelevant.

Her gaze immediately swept across the gathering.

Adrian stood near the archery range.

Elena beside him.

Several others nearby.

A perfectly normal scene.

A perfectly reasonable scene.

Marian hated it.

Then she spotted Cassian.

Alone.

Reviewing one of the bows laid out for guests.

For one brief moment she hesitated.

Because this was the moment.

The choice.

The first deliberate step.

The point of no return.

A ridiculous amount of drama for something so small.

Marian took a breath.

Then walked toward him.

Across the garden.

Across the distance.

Across every sensible instinct she possessed.

Cassian looked up.

Saw her.

And immediately became suspicious.

The man had excellent survival instincts.

Unfortunately for him, they were no longer helping.

"Lady Marian."

His tone carried the unmistakable caution of a man approaching a wild animal.

Marian smiled sweetly.

His caution increased.

Wise.

Very wise.

"Your Grace."

Silence.

A dangerous silence.

Then:

"What do you want?"

Marian looked scandalized.

"What a terrible thing to say."

"I stand by it."

The audacity.

For a moment neither moved.

Then Marian glanced toward the archery field.

Toward Adrian.

Then back to Cassian.

A tiny movement.

Almost invisible.

Cassian followed it.

Understood immediately.

And closed his eyes.

Slowly.

As though accepting a terrible fate.

When he opened them again, he looked at her.

Long.

Meaningfully.

"Absolutely not."

Marian smiled.

A beautiful smile.

A dangerous one.

The kind that had ruined empires.

"I haven’t even asked anything."

"That has never stopped me before."

And for the first time since the fight—

for the first time in days—

Marian felt something dangerously close to anticipation.

Because at last—

something was about to happen.

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