“No one registered. Perhaps a foreigner,” Rocurt said, clearly planning to stall. “I can—”
“They’re characters from banned books,” Evston said.
“That’s what my aid said! How could she have read those banned books? They’re not in the royal library. And how did you?” The king waved a hand. “Never mind. Irrelevant. I have to decide what to do. I’d planned to give her to a Ketturan warrior. I don’t suppose I can still do that. If he were to find out, he might kill her and start a war. I may have to give him several girls as a concession.”
“She should be sent to school,” Evston said.
“Who?”
“Brandese. She should be sent to school. She’s extremely bright, and you can’t marry her off now.”
“What a waste! Such a beautiful girl. When I think of all the offers I turned down. So many opportunities to enrich the realm. Now she’s ruined herself with some nobody who’s too much of a coward to even come for her. Must have nothing. She’ll pay for this. I’ll lock her away in that asylum in Groan desert. That will teach her a lesson. And she won’t be able to escape. She’ll barely be able to walk without wobbling. The sedatives, I’m told, are very calming.”
“Absolutely not,” Evston said, going rigid with fury at the thought of her being hobbled by drugs, her mind reduced to a blob of useless gel. He would not let that happen. Ever. “You’ll give her to me.”
“You? For the longest time I didn’t take the other offers because I thought you’d make one. Now you wait till she’s ruined and agree to the match? Why? So that you don’t have to make a monetary offer? How do I know you weren’t the one? You—”
“Are you such a fool? She hasn’t been with anyone. She took her own virginity.”
“What? What are you talking about?” The king paused. “I suppose she could have. She’s been trouble her whole life. How could I prove to the Ketturan that she’s still pure?”
“You can’t. Just give her to me. I’ll make you a fair offer.”
“You’d be a fool to,” the king said. “Made-up name or not, she could have been with someone that she simply doesn’t want to name out of loyalty to the bastard.”
“I’ll take my chances.”
“If she has a bastard with gray eyes in less than a year, I won’t give back the bride price.”
Evston narrowed his gaze. “Do you imagine—?”
“He’s entering into this with open eyes. There will be no further negotiations,” Rocurt said, wisely cutting him off.
Evston nodded at his brother in thanks. It was not like Evston to lose control, but his heart was thumping like it was being whipped with a crop. His muscles twitched beneath his skin, ready to strike out at the king he’d sworn to serve. How could the man’s only concern for his daughter be as a form of trade? She was a remarkable girl. Yes, too wild and impulsive. But clever and well-intentioned. And she’d always shown her father tremendous respect and adoration. In hindsight, Evston wasn’t convinced the man deserved it, king or not.
* * *
“How do you know shehasn’t been with someone else?” Rocurt asked as they stood outside near a servant’s entrance, waiting for the wayward young princess. It was to be a clandestine removal of her from the palace.
“She didn’t have time.”
“But how do you know?”
“I ran my tongue over her innocence a couple dozen times.”
“She’s got nerves of steel for a virgin. To let you get that close? To deflower herself? If she were a man, I’d make her a general.”
She came down the back steps in a black stretch-weave top and pants, like she was about to be fitted with armor. The hair of the auburn wig blew around her like a lion’s mane. She was breathtaking.
“I had no idea anyone made stretch weave that small. Maybe I’ll make her a general after all,” Rocurt said, chuckling.
“Don’t encourage her.”
“Commander Calex, nice to see you. Lord Calex, surprising to see you.”
Rocurt’s grin widened as they all boarded the glider carriage and set off.
After a time, she said, “I hear you bought me after all. I hope you got a bargain price. I’m damaged goods, you know.”
