“She wants this alliance to succeed as badly as I do,” I say, and I know that same hope rings in my voice. I envision healthy spring crops that provide enough food to store for the winter, farmers with fat livestock bragging about the size of their spring calves, soldiers returning home and having more to eat than bone broth, fish stew, and stale bread. I imagine returning to my capital city of Lastalorre, finding my people waiting to greet me with bright eyes and welcoming faces.
The images are so powerful that I’m surprised to feel emotion tightening my throat. “We’re so close to bringing home a new kind of victory.”
That emotion must capture them, too, because no one is smiling now.
After a moment, Sev stands and puts out a hand. “By fury and flame.”
The first line of our battle rally. It’s rarely spoken so solemnly, especially by him. But more than anyone else in this room, Sev knows how very desperate I am to make this work.
I stand and clasp his hand to say the next line. “For valor and truth.”
The others slap a hand over their heart. “For Incendar.”
I’ve heard it a thousand times. Maybe more. But it strikes a different chord this time. “For Incendar,” I say back.
Sev pulls me forward into half an embrace, clasping my shoulder before letting me go. His dark eyes hold mine, and I can see the flicker of relief there. He’s been a captain long enough that he never reveals anything less than cool confidence to his soldiers, but we’ve beenfriendslong enough that he’ll let me see it.
He blinks the emotion away, then steps aside so the others can do the same thing.
When Garrett lets me go, he winces and glances over his shoulder at the small hallway that leads to the other rooms. “Nik is going to hate that he’s missing this.”
I think of the soldier who rode all night, then stayed awake to sit sentry so the others could get some sleep. “Don’t wake him,” I say. “Nikko needs to rest.”
A knock sounds at the door, and the others snap to attention. Any warmth in my chest ices over. This is probably Prince Dane, ready to resume our pissing match. I’m sure he’s full of vitriol over the way I chased him out of his sister’s room.
I’ll chase him out of this one just as quickly.
“Enter,” I call, and Sev automatically steps to the side, ready to block if necessary.
But the door swings open, and instead of an angry prince, I find the princess—and she’s alone.
My eyebrows go up. “Princess,” I say in surprise.
“Ky.” Her eyes flick to my men, and she seems to falter, just for an instant. A bit of pink flares on her cheeks. “Ah...Your Majesty.Forgive me for interrupting.”
I find it fascinating that she can be so demure in one moment, and so courageous the next. It’s like the way she smacked my hand when she was still dressed as a maid.
“There’s no interruption. You are welcome here.”
“Thank you.” But she doesn’t move forward through the doorway.
There’s something apprehensive about her gaze, and I consider thatshe first hid that hairpin out of genuine fear. I wonder if the others are frightening her, or if it’s still me.
Then I think of the bruises shadowing her wrist and the way Dane loomed over her.
Maybe she’s afraid of her own brother.
A bit of fury coils in my gut as I remember that he first proposed a marriage between himself and my sister. If he ever has occasion to loom over Victoria like that, I’ll turn him into a pile of ash piece by piece, starting with his favorite appendage.
But as I regard Princess Marjoriana—Jory—I think maybe itismy men. Her eyes flick from them to me. To their credit, they’ve fallen back to stand at attention, abandoning any hint of lighthearted banter now that she’s here. But they’re my most lethal soldiers, and they definitely don’t look harmless. I can feel the weight of their focus, so I’m sure she can, too.
“You didn’t have to come here alone,” I say. “Would you prefer to summon your attendants?” I pause. “Or would you like to speak somewhere less private?”
“No,” she says quickly. But then she lifts her chin. “You said you would allow me to review the alliance contracts.”
“You didn’t have to fetch them.” I glance at Sev. “I was just asking Captain Zale to deliver them to your quarters.”
She lifts a hand. “It won’t be necessary for me to review every detail. The discussions have taken months. I don’t want to prolong them further.” She pauses. “But I did have a few questions for you.”
