Tegil narrowed his eyes. “I’d say the same about you if I wasn’t worried those guards would pummel me.”
I found myself laughing, reveling in the back-and-forth banter I’d missed so much.
“Oh, and one more thing, Isca,” he said with a cheeky smile.
I raised one eyebrow.
He pulled a rock from his pocket—gods only knew why he had one in there; probably to throw at someone—and levitated it in his palm.
I gasped, nearly dropping the letter, and rushed to hug him again.
“Your magic came in,” I cried. “If you can already do that, your specialization should be showing itself soon!”
He squeaked as I tried to hug him like I used to, lifting his little body off the ground. But he was too big for that now, so I had to settle for squeezing him with all the love I could send him through the embrace instead.
He tried to pretend he wasn’t tearing up in front of the guards, but I knew better. My baby brother was growing up. Grinning, I told him, “Now get washed. You reallydostink.”
Determined, I hugged him one more time and turned my feet, hands still clutching the letter, headed in the direction that would decide the rest of my life.
I could almost hear a dozen divine voices whispering, making bets on what would happen next.
Chapter 63
Emrys
Nisien relaxed in his favorite spot in my room, his legs casually sprawled over the footstool. He was the picture of composure, golden hair falling into his eyes, lips curved in that easy smile.
“She’s exactly your type,” I suggested. “Fierce, sharp-tongued, with a warrior’s attitude. I know it’s a lot, but—”
“It’s a good idea,” he cut me off while swirling the dregs of his wine. “This is an easy decision for me, Emrys. You said she was a mage, so that would likely take care of my heir problem. I’ll ride to Tir Gelida and see if we’ll…fit.”
He’d accepted the scheme that would overturn his life far too easily. The crown must’ve weighed heavily on him during my absence, though perhaps I’d been too blinded by resentment and bitterness to see the burden he carried. Nisien had always been gifted at bending the world with his charm, but when it came to ruling, he hated the constant grind of decisions and decrees.
Anwen, on the other hand, apparently thrived on it. Isca said she craved change, power, and the chance to shape her kingdom’s future. Perhaps standing beside a woman who wanted to do everything he dreaded was not only fitting for him but exactly where he belonged.
I lifted my gaze from the half-finished letter before me. My distraction had caused the words to blur on the page, anyway. “You’d leave for weeks at least. Maybe never return except for visits.”
Nisien shrugged, unconcerned. “It’s not like you’re an option. You have…your hands full with things here.”
My jaw flexed. Though I wanted to deny it, it was the truth. The curse still prowled under my skin, hungry for more violence or her. Always her. I’d already spent months pretending that wanting her was within my control.
And the thing that the Assembly had started behind all our backs was nowhere near done. I’d broken the chains they’d tried to hold me with months before. Then, I’d killed hundreds of Gelidian soldiers, one of their spies, and a top-level druid in their employ. On top of that, I’d stolen most of their leverage against Isca out from under their noses, though I was still working on getting the rest of her family to safety.
And Isca…she’d delivered the one idea that might make us all strong enough together to keep them at bay—maybe even defeat them in the end. The only question left was what the Assembly would do next. Unfortunately, guessing what Maeron planned was like trying to catch smoke.
“You think attempting this sort of alliance is wise?” I asked, though the question was more about my brother than our old enemy. “You’ll have to be very careful in Tir Gelida. I’m certain the Assembly won’t like the idea of a marriage between our kingdoms.”
Nisien nodded then leaned forward, elbows on his knees, eyes too knowing by half. “I think,” he said carefully, “that if we are to have peace, someone has to do something that upsets the power struggle the Assembly wants. You started this, even if unwittingly. And I have no doubt in my mind that you’ll be there right beside me when we’re ready to finish it. Emrys…this is my part. It’s been a long time coming.”
My damned infuriating brother. Too noble, and infuriatingly stubborn when he dug his heels in.
“I am too…busy, like you said,” I conceded, not meeting his eyes.
Nisien probably knew there was something going on between Isca and me.
I waited for him to turn smug about his secret knowledge, but the moment never came. I said, “You’re hiding it, but you’re enjoying being right again.”
A smirk curled at the corners of his mouth. “It’s easy when your every thought is so clearly claimed by a beautiful green-eyed diplomat.”
