“Aldo Lockwood has expressed interest in the past. He’s prosperous, powerful, and,to my knowledge, not unkind,” Wilder said. “He wants Rain, and I’ve told him he can have her.”
A haze seemed to cover Rain’s vision. “Without even consulting me?” She wasn’t sure if she was about to throw up, pass out, or simply catch fire from anger. A decision like that made entirely without her? Marriage to an elderly king she scarcely knew?
“He’s three times her age!” Daric exploded.
Forthe second time that day, Rain started to shake. The House of Ash had always treated her like family, but there was no question of where she’d come from, either. There’d been too many witnesses to her “birth” for that. She was not their child. She was not Daric’s sister. “I’m not of royal blood. He cannot want me.”
“He does,” Wilder answered. “And you have something better than royal blood. You’reBraylian’s daughter.”
Did King Aldo truly believe that? Rain had no power, or nothing useful, anyway. Nothing she dared reveal or wield. She brought nothing of value to a marriage.
Daric raked his dark hair back, his face turning bone-white. “You can’t force her to go south when we’re all going north. It’s not possible.”
“Rain is young and beautiful.” Marla laid a hand on Daric’s arm and squeezed.“Aldo will dote on her, and maybe she’ll give him the son he’s always wanted.”
Rain felt herself blanch. Her. The Queen of Parr. In Aldo Lockwood’s bed.
Daric looked as sick as she felt. Despair and something much more powerful and volatile churned inside her. She bit down hard to keep both inside.
“It’s time you two stopped living out of each other’s pockets,” Wilder announced with an abruptnessthat hardly masked his obvious discomfort with handing Rain over to a man who could behisfather. “Daric will go north and gain Leathen a river. Rain will go south to Parr. It’s final.”
A disbelieving huff burst from her. Rain had never defied the king. She’d been a dutiful Ash since the day she’d become human. She’d never given the family the springtime they needed, but that wasn’t from lackof effort. She’d tried—endlessly.
Her heart pounded out of control. What could she do? The king had already agreed to sacrifice his son, his position, his ownnamefor the good of his people. She wasn’t in the worst situation here. Some part of her recognized that Wilder was trying to protect her. He loved her and knew she’d be miserable in Raana.
Rain touched the starflower Daric had givenher.Braylian! Please find us another solution!
As always, silence was her only answer.
