“He’s undeniably stubborn, but I think you’re breaking him down.” Her smile was brighter than the stars, and I prayed to Erodite that smile wouldn’t dim because of her ridiculous father.
I’d been working on getting his agreement for her to marry Brokk for months, but even with the knowledge that she would be the Lady of Ruby Court, a significant step up in the hierarchy, he wasn’t fully convinced. He claimed it was due to Ruby Court’s reputation, but we’d made it very clear that this would be a new court, one with a completely fresh slate.
I was convinced that his hesitation was just because he didn’t want his daughter to outrank him.Ridiculous, as I said.
We walked into the office I shared with Azurill, preparing to go over the contract again. The spacious room had a wall made entirely of windows that looked out onto the garden, and the city beyond, a constant reminder of all we were working for—whowe were working for. We made several trips through the city every month, making sure we mingled with the common people. I never wanted to be the type of queen who sequestered herself away in her palace, ignoring those I was responsible for.
Our office always felt like such a warm space, with our opal-wood desks shimmering brilliantly under the many lanterns, and an abundance of flowers arranged throughout. Today, however, I was surprised to find the room already occupied. Azurill wasn’t supposed to be done with training foranother hour, but there he sat, and worryingly, he didn’t even look up when we entered.
I shared a concerned look with Faiza, who dipped her head meaningfully before quietly exiting, leaving me to slowly approach my distracted husband.
“Azurill?” I asked, my brows furrowed as I took in his stiff posture. He was bent over a piece of parchment, his fingers holding tightly to the edges, but his eyes…
They were flashing silver.
“Nea,” he whispered, looking up at me in surprise. “When did you get here?”
My brows flew upward. Azurill was one of the most attentive and observant people I knew, so the fact that he didn’t even notice me was shocking.
“Never mind that.” I waved my hand, brushing off his question. I was much more concerned about whatever was happening on that page to make him so tense. “What’s going on?”
He sighed deeply, slouching back in his chair, something that I knew he rarely ever allowed himself. His father’s lessons regarding a king’s behavior had been deeply embedded.
“I received a letter from one of our allies. A friend of mine.” He looked up at me apologetically, handing me the letter.
I took the letter from his outstretched fingers, watching carefully as he ran a nervous hand through his teal hair. I took a quick look at the signature on the bottom before reading. My head tilted to the side in contemplation. I’d had a lot of lessons on the political hierarchies of all the other continents, but admittedly, there had been a lot of names and places to remember that usually didn’t affect my everyday life.
I looked up into the blue-green pools I loved to get lost in, finding a swirling mix of emotions awaiting me there. His concern clashed with his anticipation, completely torn on how he was feeling about whatever message was contained within. A quick skim of the contents itself left my breath catching in my throat.
This certainly changed things. I was suddenly very glad I’d been taking magic lessons, too. We were going to need a lot of potions for what was coming. I swallowed hard, trying again to remember who exactly this friend of his was.
“Who is King Calix?” I asked, biting my lip as I sank into Azurill’s lap, his arms surrounding my waist automatically, while mine went over his shoulders. I contented myself with brushing my fingers through the soft hair at the nape of his neck, the familiar movement calming.
“He’s the King of Night Kingdom, in Celesterra,” he answered, watching for my reaction. His lips curled into a smirk when my eyes widened.
“We’re going to Night Kingdom, then?” I double-checked, and my anxiety about the potential consequences of what the letter claimed was happening mixed with excitement at the idea of getting to visit a new continent.
“Yes, Mini-Dite, we are.” He looked like he was trying to memorize my features, just in case, his throat bobbing on a hard swallow. “And you’re going to need new armor immediately.”
“To war we go then,” I said, an ominous feeling rising within me. He nodded, cupping my cheek and running his thumb gently across my skin. He leaned in, placing the softest kiss on my lips, and I wanted nothing more than to chase him and demand more. But if what King Calix claimed was true, we didn’t have time to delay.
“To war we go.”
