“If I’m married to you, and they want this alliance, they might reconsider that.”
Unfamiliar bitterness rose along with my gorge and I regretted drinking so much wine earlier. “I wouldn’t havethem,” I bit out.
“Not even for me?” she asked, cagey now, neatly boxing me in. “You say you’ll do whatever I need, but you won’t take back a title that matters nothing to you? Won’t take the opportunity for them to restore what’s rightfully yours, something they should never have taken from you, particularly since you acted only in the best interests of another member of the family?” Ursulatipped her head in thought. “I wonder what Jenna would say you should do?”
I stared at her, astounded. Flummoxed. She’d outmaneuvered me again and I’d never seen it coming. If only I could go back to bed and magically start this entire day anew. “This is why you wanted the story about my eldest sister before you told me about the marriage offer.”
She smiled thinly. “You’re not the only one who’slearned a few things about managing an obstinate spouse.”
“I am not your spouse, hawk,” I ground out.
“Oh, rabbit, you most surely are. All that’s lacking is the actual contract and I happen to know you’ve a deft hand with those.” She raised her brows as she scored the point, letting me know she hadn’t missed my earlier reference to that.
“A missing contract creates a rather large hole.”
“Easily fixed. You’re going to marry me, Harlan, tonight. Your brother will stand witness for you and Zynda for me. Then Kral can deliver the news to Hestar that I’m fortuitously already married to a Prince of Dasnaria, and we can hammer out an agreement of alliance.”
I had no words. “Ursula. I—”
I don’t know what I would’ve said, because the lookout’s alarm shout and the pealing of the warningbells—straight to second-level alarm—dashed everything else from my mind.
