Dance of the Red Death question

I was on pins and needles in the first book and frankly felt sick every time Araby was even near Elliot, but in the second book, it seemed so devastatingly clear, though steeped in politics and power plays it was that somewhere along the line, Elliot's feelings were very real. Razor sharp in it's intensity, and I felt bad that he seemed to wounded by Araby choosing will. I feel like this rejection of Araby mounts on top of the loss of his sister, not to mention the down fall of his mad uncle and father alike---He's in power at the end, but alone, deserted, rejected--it sounds like the perfect recipe to turn him into another demonic tyrant in the future. Does anyone feel the same way and wish Araby had chosen him instead? Let's discuss!