“Of course not,” I retorted. “Because you’re engaged. I think that more than enough reason to believe that you didn’t want to hear from me unless it regarded a political matter.”
“Engaged?” she cried out. “Engaged to whom?”
“I don’t know. Some Evernean lord.” Based on her expression, I was beginning to feel rather ridiculous. Had it truly just been a rumour, then?
“With all due respect, I think I would know if I was about to walk down the aisle with someone. I’m not sure where youcame upon this news, but I can assure you that I am certainly not engaged.”
I didn’t know why a sense of relief flooded my chest at her words. I didn’t want it to.
“All this time, I thought it was because of my family or my title,” she said, more to herself than to me. Her eyes turned to the floor, and her hands unclenched in her lap.
“I should have told you the truth.”
“I shouldn’t have told you to leave like that.” She pressed her lips together. With her stubbornness, it must have taken a lot for her to admit she was wrong. My body was screaming at me to be closer to her. But things were different between us now. She had me longing for things I couldn’t have. She always did.
“You didn’t have to come all the way to Norrandale just to tell me that.” It wasn’t my best attempt at a joke, but I needed something to lighten the mood between us.
“That’s not exactly why I came.” She sighed and the worry in her face returned.
I finally decided to be brave and moved so that I was sitting next to her on the settee.
“Why are you here, Lara?” I asked more gently, tempted to reach for her hand, but I held back out of fear of making her uncomfortable. She turned to look at me.
“Things in Everness have become dire.”
I frowned. They were hardly in good shape before.
“If I’m being honest, I fear a civil war. The people have had a difficult time adjusting and I am surrounded by enemies. As queens usually are.”
I noticed a faint, small scar on her arm, and I realised it must have been from the attack. She was almost killed in her own palace.
No longer able to stop myself, I reached my fingertips towards the line on her upper arm. I half expected her to flinch. Instead, she froze at the touch of my fingers on her soft skin.
“Is this from—?”
“Yes,” she answered quickly and swallowed hard. I dropped my hand, fearing the intimacy of the moment.
“I suppose...” She hesitated. With her hands clasped, she took a deep breath, and I saw the determination grow in her. “I suppose I’ve come to ask you to reinstate the alliance between our two kingdoms.”
“I beg your pardon?” I blurted out too quickly, not sure if I understood her correctly. “I mean—” I cleared my throat. “Sorry, what did you say?” My thumping heart wouldn’t return to normal. In her eyes, dark shadows appeared. Her face grew serious.
Elara sucked her teeth in disapproval at my making her spell it out. “I have come to ask for your hand.”
“In marriage?” I let out a partial sound of disbelief.
“Well, yes.” She looked at me as though I were an idiot. “What else could I mean?”
“Your solution to a civil war is marrying the king of an enemy kingdom?” I was in too much disbelief to consider my words before they left my mouth.
“I have threats all around me. My people are trying to blackmail me, my servants are trying to kill me, and I need someone powerful at my side if I am to protect my reign. I don’t exactly see eligible kings lining up, so unless you know of someone else?”
“Good grief, Elara, you certainly know how to make a proposal.” I sat back, considering her words. “Please marry me because there simply isn’t anyone else?”
She seemed taken aback. “I didn’t mean it like that, and you know it. You should understand making political decisions regardless of your emotions better than anyone.”
“Then what did you mean it like?”
“You were going to marry Eloisa anyway. How is this any different?”
