I simply can’t imagine that a man known for eviscerating his enemies wouldcare.
“Marjoriana,” my brother intones. “Are you even listening to me?”
I pick at my fingernails. “I think the entire kingdom is listening to you, Dane.”
One of my ladies stifles a laugh, and Charlotte clears her throat, trying to cover for her.
Dane storms forward, and my ladies jump. One braid goes spiraling loose.
No one is smiling now.
A sharp knock sounds at the door.
My brother draws back and folds his arms. “What?” he calls flatly, but no one answers.
I scowl at him. “It’smyroom.” I glance at Charlotte in the mirror. “Please see what requires my attention.”
She bobs a curtsy and moves to the door. A moment later, she gasps, then closes it.
“Your Highness,” she says to me. “His Majesty has asked to speak with you alone.”
I look at her sharply. “Father?” I whisper.
Even Dane takes a step back. I was ready for my brother’s wrath, but I didn’t consider how ourfatherwould react to my transgressions this morning. I still haven’t seen him since Dane spoke of his illness. Dane warned me not to go rushing to his side, but now I wonder if my reaction to his presence will give it away.
But Charlotte shakes her head. “The king of Incendar.”
That’s worse. I go rigid, unsure how to react.
Before I can figure it out, Dane declares, “Absolutely not. Have his herald send back a refusal immediately.”
Charlotte inhales sharply. “But—it’s not—”
“No.” Dane cuts her off, making a decisive motion with his hand. “He may have tricked the porters at the gate to slip into the palace unnoticed, but we agreed upon a set chain of events. Father and I will meet with him at—”
“I tricked no one,” Maddox Kyronan says clearly from outside the door. “And you are correct that we agreed upon a set chain of events, which Astranza has already abandoned. So before we proceed, I would like to speak with the princess alone, as our conversation was interrupted this morning. Otherwise, Prince Dane, I will take my people, and I will be on my way.”
Dear lord, he’shere? The king came to my doorhimself?
Charlotte’s eyes are as wide as saucers in the mirror. Mine match.
Dane appears at my side in an instant. His eyes are like fire, and he grabs hold of my wrist to jerk me around to face him. My hair yanks hard as one of my ladies gets knocked out of the way, but I refuse to make a sound.
“You will undo whatever mess you have made,” Dane hisses at me. “You will do whatever he asks, and you will—”
“You have three seconds to accept,” says the king, and there’s nothing soft about his accent right now. He immediately begins counting. “One. Two. Thr—”
“Open the door,” I call to Charlotte. “For goodness’ sake, let him in.”
She draws open the door.
The king is in the shadowed hallway, and it looks as though several of his men have come with him. My own guards are against the wall behind him, looking alert and prepared—and unsure how to proceed.
But Dane still has hold of my wrist, and he’s practically looming over me. This becomes sharply apparent when Maddox Kyronan’s gaze locks on us both.
“Let her go,” he says.
Dane snatches his hand back as if he’s been scalded. But he stands his ground. “You will not come here and make demands of me or my sister,” he says evenly.
