“My son is being an ass.” The alver king shot a glare at the prince.
I bit down against a sudden urge to snort a laugh. The outburst was hardly regal, yet entirely sincere. Perhaps this king was not so furious at me and my elven blood, and more irked at his son for causing this alliance at all.
A guard handed me to my seat, across from the prince. Gods, I hated him. He was one of the most entrancing men I’d ever seen.
After this, he would be the hero in the end. He would claim to be the bold, brave prince who kept a monster from the hands of a shared foe.
I’d known my life was fated for such a loveless, purposeful match long before fae rose against us. The only stipulation that might’ve kept me from Arion was if he forced me into a cold heart by using my affinity for cruelty.
I had to be free of my darkness to agree to the match with the Ljosalfar prince.
With this alver alliance, there’d never been a choice offered to me.
Once my grandfather was seated beside me, he drummed his fingers, focus on the king. “Do your reservations stem from my granddaughter’s actions against your other son during the siege?”
I dipped my chin, awaiting their rage.
It was the queen who spoke. “It is more toward the nature of obligation, the lack of choice they seem to feel.”
“Maj.” The prince leaned onto the table, eyeing his mother. “We’ve discussed this. There were no destined vows in my future, never were. An alliance is reason enough to take them.”
“Yes, I’ve heard your reasoning, but your heart was not the only one I was considering.”
Breath froze in my lungs. My brows tugged together. Me? A woman who ought to desire my throat slit for disrupting the lives of both her sons had considered this vow might rob me of a true love match?
My grandfather chuckled. “Kind of you, Highness, but there are no suitors for Skadinia in our clans.”
His laughter stung, as though the notion of anyone seeking my heart for anything other than political alliances was nonsensical.
“Prince Arion of the Ljosalfar was the only one. I found your son’s offer more tempting, and theremustbe an offer.” My grandfather sniffed with a bit of condescension. “Without a royal vow, elven customs do not allow the throne to pass to a lone sovereign who is not of royal blood. Skadinia is an adopted limb within my line. Without a match from a blood royal, she cannot be a lone queen of our clan and it will naturally fall to the inheritance of the light elves. I assure you, when Arion claims the power, he will be inclined to finish his quest. He will meet your shores again.”
“Why was this bastard’s head not taken?” asked the alver king. “The way I see it, you let him scurry away to his comfortable little palace.”
A muscle jumped in my grandfather’s jaw. “Battle is how an elven king ascends the throne in our culture. He failed in his battle against you, but did nothing against our laws, aggravating as it was.”
Battles were more than aggravating. I hadn’t expected to leave them alive.
“It’s a foolish custom,” the king said, voice low and sharp. “And it makes no sense why the burden was left for her to shoulder.”
I studied my palms, befuddled at the sudden urge to stand besidethe alver king in solidarity.My thoughts exactly, Highness. My thoughts exactly.
“Because she is the coveted prize. I have spoken of my granddaughter’s affinity before.” Eldirard sat back in the chair. “It is beautiful in many ways, but more so it is frightening, dangerous, and vicious. She could drag your household, your sons, the magic in your veins, and send them into the void of her darkness until the final wars of the gods.”
Hells, I wanted the floor to split open and devour me.
“That all?” The alver king said, almost disappointed.
“Is . . . is that all?” My grandfather’s forehead wrinkled in confusion. “You do not find that formidable?”
“I do. I’m merely waiting to hear why everyone speaks about the girl like she ought to be in chains.”
It would be wise to keep the mask of coldness on my features, but the damn king was making it rather difficult. If he spoke again, I might leap across the table and embrace him until he went red in the face.
I expected fear from my future clan. They hardly seemed impressed by the dangers from my affinity.
Eldirard cleared his throat. “As it stands, Prince Arion is set to inherit Natthaven as the heir. If Skadinia does not have a king at her side before my death, Arion will be her king. Every elven king is considered kin to his subjects. Her affinity will be loyal to his desires.”
“Seems unfair.” The queen was the one who spoke. “She was adopted into your royal house, now pays a price.”
