She scanned the brief letter with a scowl, then tossed it on the windowsill. “Teryn,” she said between her teeth. “Have I not done enough for you as it is?”
The answer rang through her, a clearno.
While she’d kept her word and made no mention of Teryn’s secret travels nor his appearance at the inn to Uncle Ulrich, she knew in her heart that she’d always be in his debt. Nothing could repay him for what he’d done. She didn’t know whether he’d acted out of love for his brother or dislike for Mareleau, but it didn’t matter. He’d been on her side when no one else had been. He’d abdicated his right to the crown so Larylis could be king, erasing every last obstacle that stood between her and the man she loved.
Her heart softened, smoothing the edges of her ire. She glanced back at the discarded letter. Its contents relayed a request for another favor. Since it was a scheme of sorts, Mareleau supposed she could oblige. He was her brother now, and if she couldn’t do her duty as a spy, she could assist her unwanted sibling’s request to get him into the castle without being intercepted by her uncles.
With a soft smile curling her lips, she turned away from the window. She was about to exit the room for the sake of reconnaissance, but the look on her ladies’ faces pulled her up short. Breah’s eyes turned down at the corners while Ann wrung folds of her silk skirt in her hands.
“What?” Mareleau bit out.
Breah and Ann exchanged a look but said nothing.
“Out with it.”
Breah worried her lip before taking a step closer to the queen. “It’s just…I was wondering…is it strange?”
Mareleau’s irritation returned in a flash. “Iswhatstrange?”
“Being married to…to King Larylis instead of Teryn?”
“Why the seven devils would that be strange? Strange would be being wed to Teryn.”
“Because Teryn isn’t king?” Ann said.
“Because Teryn isn’t my husband.”
“But you wanted him to be, didn’t you?” Breah asked. “The two of you were engaged for three years.”
Mareleau barked a laugh. “What gave you the impression I’dwantedto be engaged to him? Banish it from your minds.”
Ann shifted from foot to foot and let out an awkward laugh. “I did find it strange that you were always courting another suitor.”
“Courting other suitors went against my will, just as much as being engaged to Teryn did. The only man I’ve ever loved was Larylis.”
Breah’s eyes bulged from their sockets. “Truly?”
Mareleau was perplexed by her ladies’ shock. Hadn’t they known about her friendship with Larylis when he’d lived as a ward to Uncle Ulrich? The budding feelings she’d begun to develop? Then she recalled that she’d only confided in Katra, the lady’s maid she’d trusted most. The one person aside from Larylis that she’d considered a friend. Before Katra had betrayed her, of course.
No wonder her maids knew nothing of her true feelings. She’d kept them well hidden. Now she felt a little self-conscious that she was sharing so much. Being at Ridine truly was messing with her emotions. Either that or?—
That’s right!
Her moon cycle was due any day now. Her pregnancy ruse was coming to an end. That explained her irritation, her fraying nerves.
She studied her ladies through slitted lids. She supposed it wouldn’t hurt to tell them the truth about her feelings. The last thing she wanted were rumors spreading that the queen had only married Larylis because he’d been named king. She needed the world to know of her love. Of her victory.
“Yes,” Mareleau said, lifting her chin, “I’ve only ever loved Larylis. I’ve never had an ounce of feelings for anyone but him. I would have given up my royal right for him, would have burned down the world for him. And now he’s mine and I’m happier than I’ve ever been. Or I will be, once I leave here and go back home to Dermaine Palace.”
Ann brought a hand to her lips while Breah blinked a sheen of tears from her eyes.
Mareleau threw her hands in the air. “Now what?”
Ann lowered her hand to reveal that she was grinning like an idiot while Breah bounced on the balls of her feet. “It’s just,” Breah said, “we’ve never heard you speak like that before. You’ve never talked about love or romance, or feelings at all. It’s so good to know you’re happy.”
“I am,” Mareleau said, but the words formed a sudden lump in her throat. Tears welled in her eyes, and a sob was building in her chest, too heavy to suppress.
Breah’s lips curled into a sappy smile, and she took a step forward to reach for her hand.
