Nisien sobered. His fingers traced the etched stem of his goblet. “If I’d been killed, Darreth would’ve clamored for war. Even in one of your…states, you’d be the perfect king for it.”
I looked away. I couldn’t even entertain the thought.
“Speaking of war,” he continued, adjusting the cuff of his tunic too casually, “what are we going to do about Gelida?”
I gave a slow shrug, the gesture deliberately casual. It was rare that I saw Nisien in a murderous mood, and I didn’t want to add to it. “You said yourself we have no solid proof the raiders were official troops.”
His mouth pressed into a grim line. “I may have…defended the men a bit too aggressively.”
“I heard,” I said, suppressing a grin. “Flinging magic and cutting men down with your sword from horseback? The court will be buzzing about it for weeks. That’ll help repair your ‘weak’ image.”
“Image rehabilitation.” His eyes glinted. “You know I love taking a bad situation and making it work for me. Half the court’s whispering about my ferocity.”
“Exactly the outcome you wanted.”
He smirked as he returned to the table and refilled his goblet. “Think it will stain my reputation for diplomacy?”
“Unlikely.”
Now he grinned. “Which brings us to ourferociously talentedvisiting diplomat.”
She was. Wickedly sharp of mind and tongue, and eminently capable of handling any situation, political or otherwise, she was thrown into. There was simply too much to like about her.
Those thoughts were exactly why my shoulders tensed before the words had even finished leaving Nisien’s mouth. I swirled my wine, slower this time. “Okay…”
“She’s been receiving letters from Maeron and her family. No lovers that I’ve seen, though…” He trailed off as if expecting me to comment. Gods knew I couldn’t comment on that last bit, not without losing my composure.
“Okay,” I eventually said, narrowing my gaze. Only then did I notice how bruised and cut Nisien’s hands were. He’d given the raiders a beating,but my free fist clenched with rekindled anger. I didn’t like seeing the marks of a struggle on anyone I cared about. “Why are we discussing this?”
“Thought you might benefit from the reminder that our diplomat has a life outside the Tir she might want to return to. Knowing Maeron, he’s applied pressure on her to get us to shape up.”
Nisien was more perceptive than I’d given him credit for. “You know what that pressure is, since you’ve clearly been spying on her letters.”
“I have not!” His indignation was too sharp to be genuine. His shoulders slumped. “Fine. I read one letter out ofprotective curiosity.”
I couldn’t blame him for it. I might’ve done the same if I weren’t so determined to avoid anything to do with her.
“She’s close to her family,” he said, the familiar tightness in his voice hinting at a topic he was reluctant to raise, for fear of my reaction. “If Maeron squeezes them, she’ll feel it.”
“He already tries to control us,” I growled, voice thick with resentment. “We can’t allow him more leverage, not on someone he’s placed within our walls.”
Nisien didn’t hesitate. “Agreed.”
Even after all this time, we still understood each other without having to explain.
“It will have to be covert. I’ll go myself in the morning,” I suggested.
“You areanythingbut covert, Emrys.”
“Fine,” I snapped, hating how caged it made me feel. I didn’t like something so important being out of my direct control, but Nisien was right. “I already have the names of men I want on the job. All arrangements for this will go through me.”
Nisien studied me for a long moment, seeing too much, then nodded. “That’s settled.”
I already felt lighter.
Then his entire demeanor changed in an instant, and he looked me directly in the eye. “I’m asking you, Emrys…please stop putting Isca and this kingdom at risk by your continued absence.”
“Sometimes I have to run,” I argued, albeit weakly. “You know this.”
