I looked away.‘We’re engaged, I suppose.It’s not that straightforward.We made a deal, and I can’t tell you the details, but I promise you, before the year is out I will be home.’I took a breath.‘I’m not going to marry him.’
‘You made adealwith him?Are you mad?’
‘Would you rather Ihadmarried him?’
‘It depends what sort of deal you made.’
It took me a moment to decipher his implication.‘He’s never touched me, if that’s what you’re implying.’
‘I’m struggling to understand what else he’d want from you.’
That stung.‘Is that really what you think?If you were in Raleigh’s shoes, do I have nothing else to offer?’
His silence was damning.‘You know I don’t mean that,’ he said, far too late.He suddenly felt so far away, as though that second’s hesitation stretched longer than our two months apart.
‘Of course not,’ I said stiffly.What else did I have, really?Raleigh at least had a use for my scholarship.But what was I exactly for Yann?A cosy life plan and a mother for his future sons?
I wished I hadn’t left the library.
‘I need to see my father,’ I muttered.The sooner I was back on the hill the better.
‘I’ll escort you,’ Yann said without hesitation.
Not long ago his chivalry would have made my heart skip, and I was unprepared for the flash of irritation that hit me instead.‘Of course,’ I said, and hoped he couldn’t see my reluctance.
Yann called out to his grandfather to look after the shop, then followed me to where I’d tied Sovereign.From there I followed his lead, Yann always walking half a step ahead of me.We had barely walked a block when a man emerged from a side street.His name was Kay, a neighbour of Yann’s who he got along with tremendously and I’d always clashed with.I’d never liked the way he spoke about women, and he’d never liked the way I pointed it out.He spotted Yann first and greeted him warmly.Then he saw me and stopped.
‘Clara Wagner,’ he breathed.‘I didn’t think I’d see you out in sunlight again.’
‘Lovely to see you again, Kay,’ I said without breaking pace.
He stepped in front of me, forcing me to stop.Sovereign nickered until I put a hand to her nose to soothe her, but when I tried to step around Kay, he blocked my path again.
I called his bluff and stepped forward, but Kay shoved me.I stumbled, letting go of Sovereign, barely managing to catch myself, too incredulous to feel anything more than annoyed.
‘Kay!’Yann tried to wedge himself between us, but the fight left him the moment Kay placed a hand on his bound arm.
‘Stay out of this,’ he said.
‘What the hell are you trying to do?’I snapped.‘Are you drunk?’
He spat on the stones at my feet.‘Demons aren’t welcome in Orlfen.’
‘What do you mean “demons”?’
‘You know exactly what I mean.’He raised his hand.
‘I’m a human.’I said, catching his strike as it came down, then twisted, stooping low and using his weight against him as my fatherhad taught me.Kay landed hard on the cobblestones, splaying his hands in submission when I pressed the tip of my boot to the underside of his chin.‘Do not make an enemy of me,’ I said.‘My betrothed can hurt you so much worse than I can.’
To my dismay, Kay began to laugh.‘With that hand?’
My heart stilled as my thoughts caught up with my mouth.I hadn’t meant Yann.I stepped back from Kay, glancing at my true betrothed in hope he hadn’t noticed my slip, but his eyes were clouded, his teeth set.
‘Your betrothed,’ he echoed.
‘I didn’t mean—’
‘I know what you meant,’ Yann said hollowly as Kay climbed back to his feet.
