Kunigunde’s eyes flashed. “I don’t need the post of companion. When I present myself to the king, he’ll let me compete in the trials. Then Mechtilda will petition—”
“And if hedoesn’tlet you…” Floris interrupted.
“Which hewon’t,” Reinald added with a snort.
“…then you shan’t be on any future royal ship, sister.” Floris’s tone was not cruel, but sympathetic, which somehow made the words all the worse. “You had best say goodbye like you mean it, because this is likely to be your only chance.”
Graham and Kunigunde stared at each other.
The foghorn sounded again, followed by another shout in Balcovian.
Reinald raised his brows. “Ten minutes.”
“Go.” She motioned them toward the gangplank. “I’ll be there in a minute. My valise is already onboard. But I cannot say goodbye properly with the two of you looming over our shoulders.”
Reinald looked as though he might argue, but Floris tilted his head toward the ship. They ascended the plank without further commentary and turned to peer down from the rail.
It was usually Graham who had the bird’s-eye view of his prey. He did not like the reverse sensation at all.
The brothers selected a position so close to Kunigunde and Graham that they could practically jump over the side and land right where they’d been standing before. At least,Grahamcould have done so. Her brothers certainly looked testy enough to try.
Kunigunde glared over her shoulder at her brothers. “Move.If you want me to board this ship without my daggers in hand, then give us a moment of privacy.”
Floris and Reinald exchanged sour looks, but backed away from the railing until Graham could no longer see them behind the wide brim of Kunigunde’s bonnet.
Her eyes met his.
This was goodbye. Mayhap permanently.
He fished for the right words. If indeed there were any. “Kunigunde…”
“Kuni,” she corrected him quietly. “Only family calls me Kuni, but you’re family now. More than family. I cannot bear to—”
She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. Not chastely, but as passionately as they’d kissed this morning when they’d coupled before dawn. When each frantic kiss had felt as though it could be the last.
This one really might be.
When she tore her mouth away, Graham felt as though part of his soul had ripped off with the loss. Good. At least she would take that much of him with her.
Kuni reached beneath her spencer and pulled out the gold epaulet.
“I want you to have this.” She pinned it to his shoulder with shaking fingers. “This was how my father said goodbye when he did not have the words to convey what was in his heart.”
The father who had feared—correctly—that he would never return.
A father who had wanted his daughter never to forget that she was loved. Did that mean that she also…
“Kuni.”Graham reached for her—
—but she was already turning and gone, racing up the gangplank as the foghorn blasted overhead.
The porter who had taken her valise earlier barely allowed her to step fully on board before drawing up the plank.
That was it. He’d lost her.
She had chosen serving royalty over his love.
Never before had Graham so viscerally wished to dismantle a monarchy. The royals of every country could go and guard themselves off a cliff. They had takenKuni.
