He leapt to his feet. “Fine, I’ll say it again! It’s disgraceful that our future queen might be raised to see men in dresses as something normal.”
“You look tired,” I said with fake sympathy. “I heard your wife had a new baby recently. How wonderful! But you must be exhausted between changing all the diapers and still carrying out your usual duties. Have you heard about my sister’s newest suggestion for improving society? It’s paternity leave. I’m removing you from the Council so that you can spend more time with your new family. You’ll thank me later!”
His face reddened. “What nonsense are you talking about? Babies are women’s work! I don’t change diapers!”
My smile deepened. “Don’t expect to return to the Council until that changes. I’ll be watching you. Guards!”
Half a dozen guards stepped forward. Laurent, now Captain Laurent, winked at me before he dragged the sputtering nobleman out.
I turned around. Araceli and Antonia regarded me with identical amused expressions.
“I see you still have a bit of the Blood Duchess in you,” Araceli said.
“That was me being nice,” I protested. “The Blood Duchess would have thrown him in the dungeon.”
“The Blood Duchess would have killed anyone who crossed her. I’m glad you’re better than that.”
“Err … even as head of the Council, I didn’t exactly have the authority to remove him without talking to you first …”
“I’ll have the decree stamped by nightfall.” Araceli smiled, then bent over to kiss my forehead. “I appreciate you standing up for me, love.”
Sometimes I missed being tall, but I found it cute when Araceli did that.
Antonia beamed. “Someday I’m going to annihilate all my enemies, just like you two.”
I hoped we weren’t being as bad an influence on her as the nobleman had claimed. She was scary enough already. (I was just kidding. It was nice to see her smiling, unlike the terrified child she’d been when we’d first met.)
Leaning over to Araceli’s ear, Kaine spoke softly. “I meant what I said before. It means a lot to me, to see you living openly like this. Maybe because of you, more people will feel free to do the same someday.”
Even at a whisper, he didn’t dare speak of himself in a public area. I felt a pang of sympathy for him. Someday.
Araceli turned around. “Thank you.”
“I should be the one thanking you,” Kaine said.
“You already have,” I said. “Many times.” It had started to get excessive, honestly. “You don’t have to keep bringing it up.”
“Yes, I do.” Kaine cleared his throat. “Bora, I owe you a debt. You saved my life, and you saved Ysabel, who means more to me than my own life. There is no greater debt possible for me to owe. If you ever want a favor in return, name your price. You can have anything, even if you want me to destroy the world.”
I frowned. “I can’t accept. Even leaving aside that I don’t want you to destroy anyone, Ysabel is my sister. I’m not doingyoua favor by saving her life. If anything, I should be the one thanking you for making my beloved sister happy. You’re my sister’s husband; it’s only natural for me to help you if I can. Frankly, bringing up debts insults me.”
“I understand. I apologize for my rudeness, little sister.” Kaine swept me up into a hug. “There are no debts between family.”
He had spoken “little sister” with such solemness, as if bestowing a royal title on me. I tapped his arm. “Oxygen …”
“Sorry.” He set me down. “I’m excited about having a new family member.”
Ysabel came up behind her husband and took his arm. “Bora is already family.” Alzira lurked behind her, glaring hard enough to scare everyone away from us.
“But now she’sfamilyfamily,” Kaine said. He beamed at me. “You’ll have to come visit us soon.”
It gave me a strange feeling. I wasn’t entirely sure what I’d gotten myself into. “Wait, visit you? Are you leaving already?” I asked, disappointed.
“I was enjoying the vacation, but Ysabel says we have important political nonsense back home.”
Ysabel sighed. “We left abruptly. The court will be in disarray without me. Give me some time to set my affairs in order, and then I’ll be able to take time off for a longer visit. We’ll definitely come to visit after our child is born.” She touched her stomach.
“I can’t wait,” I said, smiling at the thought of my future nibling.
