“I agreed to your terms,” the king says. “I traveled to your kingdom. I yieldedmymagic foryourcomfort. I demanded nothing. I asked for a moment of privacy.”
They glare at each other, the tension thickening to a point where I’m almost glad I wasn’t part of their negotiations. I wonder if every meeting was like this.
I turn back to the mirror. “Come in, Your Majesty,” I say. “If you’ll forgive me, I was in the middle of preparing for the day. My ladies hadn’t finished.” I shoo them away and pick up a hairpin myself.
The king steps across the threshold, but his men remain in the hallway.
Dane looks between us. “You should have guards, at the very least, Marjoriana—”
“I’m fine,” I say breezily, jabbing the pin in place and reaching for another. Inside my chest, my heart is hammering. My ladies have scooted through the doorway, but Charlotte is still hovering, waiting to see what transpires.
Dane glances through the door, and then at Maddox Kyronan. “I am not leaving you alone and surrounded by Incendrian soldiers before our alliance is finalized.”
I expect the king to argue about that, but he turns his head to look back at his men. “Roman, remain in the hallway. Sev, take the others and withdraw to our quarters.” Then he looks at my brother and raises his eyebrows.
Dane’s jaw is clenched. His eyes find mine in the mirror, but I say nothing to him. My stomach is churning, but I simply pick up the dropped braid and reach for another pin, carefully tucking it into place.
“Go ahead, Charlotte,” I say. “We shouldn’t make the king wait any longer. Given why he’s here, I’m sure we can have a few moments to speak.”
She dips a curtsy to me, and then, to my surprise, she offers a trembling one to the king before dashing through the doorway.
My brother is the only one left. His jaw twitches, and he moves to stalk past the king, too.
But Maddox Kyronan puts out a hand to stop him, and he leans in to say something low and private before Dane can pass. A chill rolls down my spine as I suddenly remember my brother saying just how specifically they arranged foreverydetail. Could this be about that?
Dane doesn’t respond, but I watch their interaction in the mirror. I can tell from the set of his shoulders that my brother is not happy about whatever is said.
But then he’s gone and the door falls closed, leaving me alone with the Incendrian king.
The man is still trussed up like he’s ready to fight a war, while I don’t have a single weapon on me. Not that it would matter—he’s pretty big, and his hands look like they could snap my bones as an afterthought. I study him in the mirror as I slide a hairpin into place, securing a lock of dark hair. When I reach for the next one, I take two, tucking one into my palm.
When my eyes shift back to his, he says, “I’m not here to harm you.”
I wonder if he saw me hide the pin, or if he’s just offering reassurance. “We’ll see,” I say. “I’m not used to men forcing their way into my chambers while I’m still dressing.”
“You’re not? Your brother was welcome, then?”
That strikes with a bit more precision than I’m ready for, and I haveto glance away. I fuss with one of my braids, smoothing a strand into place. “I understand the terms of the alliance were well negotiated. Are you here to inspect the goods? Or do you have an inquiry about the prescribed services?” That hidden hairpin feels hot against my palm. “You’ll have to forgive me. I haven’t reviewed the contracts. If you’d like for me to perform a demonstration, I’m not sure if I belong on the bed or the floor first.”
His eyes narrow. “Is that truly why you think I’m here?”
My heart is pounding so hard. “I have no idea why you’re here.”
“I wanted to talk to you without the added weight of your brother’s presence.” He folds his arms. “But if you’ve prepared a demonstration, feel free to begin wherever you like.”
I whip around, because I genuinely can’t tell if he’s mocking me or if he’s calling my bluff.
The king looks back at me implacably, and honestly, it feels like he’s issued a challenge.
I’ve met some of Astranza’s most decorated warriors, and they’re usually slobbering brutes who talk with their mouths full and sweat too much. All the rumors about Maddox Kyronan and his victories on the battlefield led me to believe he’d be the same. I wasn’t ready for this honey-voiced soldier who somehow has the talent to make even my brother scurry. I thought his magic gave him an edge in this war against Draegonis, but now that I’ve had the chance to meet him, I sense there’s something more.
I’dneversay these words out loud in the palace, but I can tell that this man does not fuck around.
I like it.
Itscaresme how much I like it.
He nods at my hands, which have fallen into my lap. “Why don’t you start with whatever you meant to do with the hairpin.”
