The farmer stuttered, barely able to speak with the pressure crushing him, “Please f— forgive me, High Lady.”
“Any offense is forgiven,” I said quickly. Impulsively, in view of all, I reached out to give Emrys’s hand a quick squeeze—to reassure him or me, I didn’t know. He was so warm it seemed like his fury was burning his skin.
The magic he’d been using to hold the man to the ground with crushing force immediately slackened. The farmer took in a quick breath and quietly sobbed, looking like he might expire on the spot from fear.
Emrys just stared at him in that predatory way as he ordered the boundary returned. The betrayed man looked satisfied.
Emrys didn’t even glance at me after that, but I felt the way the hall shifted. I felt how the people’s curiosity about me had shifted, ever so slightly, to include respect and more than a little wariness.
And Nisien was smiling at us like we’d handed him a gift.
The exhaustion settled even deeper into my bones as I sat through the rest of the audience quietly. I rarely wielded so much magic at once, and it had left me with a hollow ache in my chest.
Catrin eventually brought me food and drink to nibble on as I sat on the dais, but the audience lastedall day. Either I was growing soft in my convalescence over the past weeks, or I hadn’t fully appreciated the endurance required of those in power. Probably both.
Once the last petition had been heard and the crowd dismissed, Nisien stood and offered me his arm. “Come,” he said. “Walk with me.”
I hesitated, eyes flicking to Emrys. But he was speaking with a brave elderly woman in a weathered blue shawl. From what I gathered, he was suggesting that they send a carpenter to assist with the repairs to her storm-damaged roof. There was neither ceremony nor indulgence in howhe interacted with her. He did exactly the same thing when interacting with the men.
It didn’t escape me that his quiet, understated way of showing he cared, marked by small acts of kindness, went unnoticed by most.
I let Nisien lead me into the corridor. Another walk with another prince.
The spring rains were giving way to summer, but their memory lingered on the damp stone benches. Except for rustling leaves and occasional drips, the garden was peaceful compared to the noisy crowd indoors. The scent of rosemary flowers and soaked earth hung in the air.
Nisien stopped us beneath a vibrant sycamore. Its bark peeled in elegant strips of cream, gray, and amber, like the scales of some ancient, sleeping creature. Its branches creaked softly overhead in the breeze.
He turned to me, studying my face.
I drew in a breath and let it out slowly. I resisted the urge to fidget with the hem of my sleeve, where I’d covertly sewn another tiny pouch for Tegil’s osprey as a good luck charm.
“You have a gift for people,” he finally said. “That kind of presence can’t be taught.”
I attempted to dismiss his seriousness with laughter. “It was nothing.”
“No.” He stepped closer. “You don’t understand how many old men in the Assembly would’ve frozen or panicked under the pressure I placed upon you.”
I let out a quiet breath. “I only spoke the truth.”
“I put you on the spot, and you reacted with grace. Not only that, you proved yourself a natural diplomat by thinking quickly and choosing wisely how to apply your gifts. That matters, especially here.” Every word he said rang with sincerity.
I glanced away. “I’ve had to learn quickly.”
“You’ve had to survive,” he corrected. “And you’ve done it beautifully.”
He stepped closer, close enough that I could feel the press of his intent. It was controlled, poised, and…performative?
A gentle breeze stirred between us, lifting my hair and scattering flower petals around the garden. He raised a hand, with heat radiating from it like a soft flame, and hovered it near my cheek. Emboldened by the look in his eyes, I leaned into it.
“I know exactly who you are and where you come from, Isca. I know about the market. I don’t care about that. You comport yourself with confidence and conviction. You are a natural-born lady and don’t make excuses for it.” Nisien let out a low, quiet chuckle. “I don’t know how you thought I wouldn’t fall the smallest bit in love with you after that tincture. I’ve already assigned the injured guard to rest for the next two monthsawayfrom the castle so he won’t have a chance with you.”
My heart fluttered—fickle, traitorous thing—though I didn’t believe his words. His voice held the right softness, but I could see past that.
Even so, the words from Maeron’s letter dropped like a stone into my gut when I should’ve been enjoying Nisien’s attention.That’s a good start…I’d made no progress on the Assembly’s secret plan for my time here. My mind began to race. Was this…? Was I about to…?
Then something calculating flickered in his eyes, more curiosity than desire. “Lady Isca… I need to confirm something.”
Then he kissed me.
