“Okay, let’s stop talking about that,” she returned.
He gave her a squeeze and reassured, “They were rough.Hooligans.No training.We were never in any real danger.I delight you stillwant me regardless of the flaws I know you sense in my character, so I feelrelatively secure in sharing, in situations like that, Marlow and I work welltogether.”
“Did you two learn that when you were quashing dissidents inLunwyn?”
Loren froze.
Entirely.
“Uh-oh,” she whispered.
“Who told you that?”he all but barked.
“Honey—”
He shifted, cupped her jaw on both sides, tipped her face tohis, even if he couldn’t see her, and shared, “You are not in trouble.I’m notangry at you.But I’m angry.And I’m angry at whoever told you about that.”
She made excuses instead of answering him.
“I think he might have done it so I would know you a bitbetter, and maybe, um…have a care should things happen like…erm,tonight.”
Since Marlow was with him when they went to attend Tor, thatonly left his father, unless Middleton, Holton or Rycroft came to visit her,which, considering none of them were close, was unlikely.
Though they were possibly getting closer due to theannouncement of his betrothal and the knowledge they could rightly assume theywere all to attend his wedding, something not one of them would miss.
And Ansley undoubtedly did it for the reasons she stated.
But considering this knowledge threatened the realm’ssecurity, it still was the wrong thing to do.
“This is highly confidential information,Satrine, do you understand me?”
“Yes.”
“We took pains not to leave any trace.Men died for that.What is done is done, it’s been years, but what happened was not with theknowledge of the ruler ofLunwyn.She has sincepassed.A good queen.Even more clever than you, which means she’s the onlywoman I’ve known who is such.”
“Wow, thanks,” she cut in softly.
“Darling, I’m pleased you grasped the compliment.However,I’m being deadly serious.Realms do not like other realms sending soldiers inand meddling with their citizens, ever, and perhaps especially not in secret.”
“Yes, I can see that,” she agreed.
“We share a border withLunwyn.Good relations.Trade treaties that benefit both realms.Should trouble arise,and it always does, our militaries would fight side by side.King Viktor isyoung.Smart.Stable.His father is a born leader in more ways than anyone onthis planet, and a very fine man.His mother is nearly a warrior herself, andalmost as cunning as her mother was.But he’s still young.Youth can meanimpetuousness.He’s just learning to trust us as his allies and—”
“Baby, baby, baby,” she fussed, pushing up to touch her lipsto his.“Iget it.Loose lips sink ships.You’re heard.”
“Loose lips sink ships?”he asked, and before she could sayanything, went on, “That’s most ingenious.”
“Well, stick around, buddy, I got a million of them.”
He chuckled.
She cuddled closer to him and tucked her face into hischest.
When she did, he thought, this would be their nights.Afterhe had her, they would tangle together to sleep.
In fact, this would be their lives.
They may have a babe squirming between them if it fretted inthe dark.Dogs (who would eventually learn better and remain at the foot) whenthey got them.
