“Her uncle, Orik Allgrove, is the former King of Haldor,” Lex explained, “and has been stirring unrest against King Isvius for many years now in hopes that he’ll build a rebellion large enough to take back Haldor.”
Cora listened with rapt attention. Isvius was the King of Norun and Prince Helios’ father, while Haldor was one of the kingdoms Norun had conquered several years ago. Lex’s mention of unrest and potential rebellion could prove useful if Norun resorted to war with Khero like she feared.
Lex spoke again. “As you can imagine, Tomas is not keen on getting conquered by Norun, and my father has gone to great lengths to avoid drawing attention to our kingdom. Save for building the wall between our borders, of course, which my father stands by as a brilliant necessity. So he feared pairing me with the niece of a known rebel would attract Isvius’ scorn.”
“What changed his mind?” Teryn asked.
“Aromir wool, of course,” Lex said with a flourish of his hand and an exaggerated mock bow. “I can’t thank you enough for orchestrating Tomas’ inclusion into the trade agreement with Brushwold. When Father learned of it, he was willing to reward me. Hence the only reward I could ever want.” He patted Lily’s hand, who blushed furiously in turn.
Cora hated shattering the lovely mood with her next question, but she had to ask. “Your father’s determination to avoid conflict with Norun must mean he keeps abreast of the kingdom’s latest moves and developments. Are you by chance aware of any troubling rumors regarding Norun? Anything about them potentially targeting another kingdom? Preparing for conquest?”
Lex exchanged a weighted look with Lily. Cora extended her senses, desperate to know what lingered beneath that look, but all she could read was…excitement.
“Let’s just say,” Lex said, a sly smirk turning his lips, “that my rise in esteem and Lily’s influence as princess have sparked…certain developments.”
Her heart quickened. “Like what?”
Another significant look passed between the couple before Lex leaned in closer. His voice was barely above a whisper. “All the Norunian rebels need for a successful rebellion are weapons. The military confiscated all their weapons long ago and forbids all citizens from bearing arms. Yet it just so happens that someone has a wall. A wall from which certain exports leave. And Tomas’ primary export to Norun is manure.”
Cora frowned, unsure what he was getting at.
Lily kept her voice as quiet as her husband’s. “We’re smuggling weapons in shit—” Her hand flew to her mouth, though her lovely face maintained its sweet expression. “Pardon my language, Majesty. Inmanure. Soldiers don’t bother auditing the manure merchants’ carts. You can imagine why.”
It took Cora several moments to understand the brilliance of what they were doing. And the daring. Lex was spurring a rebellion!
Teryn seemed equally as impressed. “Do you know when it will take place?”
“At the end of the month,” Lex said. “The rebels almost have enough…manure.”
Cora’s heart sparked with excitement. If the rebels succeeded, Cora might not have to worry about the hostility the prisoner had hinted at. At least not from Norun. Syrus, of course, remained a mysterious threat…
Teryn placed his palm on her thigh, beside her hand that was fisted around the folds of her skirt. She didn’t recall having moved her hand there, but she must have in her anxiety and excitement during all the talk about Norun and rebels. Teryn’s fingers smoothed her own until she released the fabric of her skirt. Then he entwined their fingers, a gesture that reminded her they would face this together. They would face whatever came next, side by side.
“Will you keep us apprised of developments?” he asked.
“Of course,” Lex said. “Anything for my allies.”
8
Cora was ready.
Shewas.
She really, truly was.
At least, she figured if she kept telling herself that, she might be. Dinner had ended an hour ago. Her maids had already been dismissed after assisting with her bath. The evening was creeping toward midnight, and Cora worried that if she waited too much longer, Teryn would give up on her coming at all.
She couldn’t dally. What good was pacing around her room doing? She thought she needed to practice what she wanted to say, but she’d been doing that for months, and when it had finally come time to see Teryn, she hadn’t been able to convey any of the things she’d intended to.
It was now or never.
Cora brushed her damp palms over the front of her cream velvet robe. Beneath it, she wore an ivory silk chemise trimmed with lace. She tried not to overthink what it meant that she was about to visit her fiancé in her underclothes, for what else could she do? She couldn’t have asked her ladies to lace her back into her dinner gown after her bath. Moreover, to saycertain thoughtsweren’t on her mind would be a lie. And after their kiss earlier, after the way he’d demanded she say his name, the way he’d propped her on that dresser, she knew those things were on his mind too. But as long as Teryn didn’t pounce on her the second she arrived, she’d have a chance to accomplish her mission before being swept up in desire again.
In the meantime, she tugged the neck of her gown a little closer and tied the sash around her waist a tad tighter. Then, closing her eyes, she thought of Teryn.
When her mind raced forward to how their conversation might go, she drew it back and settled her thoughts in the past, at dinner. She recalled the warmth of his fingers laced with hers, his steady, anchoring touch. She imagined the way his skin felt beneath her palm. As her nerves settled, allowing her to fully focus on her magic, she pictured his bedroom. She imagined it much like it had looked earlier, but this time she envisioned it under a blanket of night. Curtains drawn, the lighting dim, the glow of a single lamp warming the walls. Shefeltlike she was there. Felt Teryn’s presence, his nearness.
Then she took a step.
