Chapter 259: It Begins
"Why are you even here?" Leon growled, his voice low, barely restrained. His golden eyes burned with the kind of anger that came from betrayal. "Are you trying to hurt me?"
Riven blinked. "What?"
"You said you had nothing to hold onto." Leon scowled, like he was chewing on glass. "Was that your way of telling me I didn’t matter? That I was some kind of... Accidental inconvenience?"
"No," Riven muttered, shaking his head. "Leon, I didn’t come here to argue. That’s not why I’m here."
"Could’ve fooled me," Leon bit back.
Riven exhaled sharply. His shoulders were tight, his heart racing. He looked at the man in front of him—fuming, hurt, proud, stupidly attractive even now—and remembered that he came here to stop a war. Not start another argument.
"I apologise," he said at last, voice going flat and formal. That distant tone he used when diplomacy was the only way out. "But I ask you to take a good look at what you’re doing. You’re on the verge of throwing your kingdom into war over—over this. Over a personal grudge. Is it worth it?"
Leon scoffed. "Don’t flatter yourself. I have strategic reasons."
"Oh?" Riven arched a brow. "And let me guess—those ’strategic reasons’ conveniently began the moment you saw me with Soren? You did say you were about to retreat, but suddenly changed your mind."
Leon didn’t answer. He turned his head away, jaw tightening.
Riven stepped forward, carefully, cautiously. "You’re angry. I get that. But if this is about what happened between us... Let’s keep it between us rather than involve the clans."