My blood ran cold. “What? What are you—”
“I’m sorry for the dragon's loss, but I don’t think you heard me: We’ve heard from the team sent to Fyrehold. They’ve agreed to the exchange, and they are on their return. I even have permission for your paths to cross over their border. There is no further reason to wait. I want you gone.Today.”
“Alexi,” Diaan said sharply, eyeing him from over her goblet. “If the dragons aren’t at their best…?”
“Even beyond that point,” I said, keeping my anger carefully in check, “We don’t yet know what precisely happened in Draeventhall. At least, we hadn’t an hour ago. I need to return toKgosi. He was pressing Ciar for answers, hoping we might gain new insight—”
“Insight or not, mourning or not, I am not discussing this further!” Alexi snapped. “Diaan has assisted your girl and says she’s able to think on her feet, and showed aptitude—along with just the right amount of uncertainty. She will be fodder for the gossips, of whom Lady Faye is the worst. That woman has been a fly buzzing in my ear, but now perhaps God deigns to reveal her purpose in hastening your travel. Regardless, the time has come. I don’t know what causes you to drag your feet when I’ve already allowed you to take the girl with you, Donavyn, but whatever it is, my patience is at an end. It is time.”
“If we haven’t gained more information on Draeventhall, we fly in blind—”
I knew I’d gone too far when Alexi pushed to his feet with alacrity, and none of the stiffness or lumbering one might expect of a man his weight and age. I was reminded that the king—albeit quietly—continued to train, and was not unskilled in combat himself. He strode to my toes, and while I stood over him by two inches, he carried the authority of his crown.
“The less we know, the moreimperativeit becomes for you to begin yourinvestigation,”he hissed. “If I didn’t know you better, Donavyn, I might cry coward. Instead, you concern me that your personal situation may be affecting your judgment. Donotmake me worry that sending you with the girl is a mistake,” he said darkly.
I stared him right in the eye, everything in my body shoving me forward, desperate to put him to the floor—something I was certain I could do, regardless of his training. But his crown?
It would be a death sentence to lay so much as a finger on him without his permission.
I swallowed hard and spoke through clenched teeth.
“Your instructions are, of course, my guiding light.” I bit the words off. “Where you point, I will go, Sire. But do not let yourself be convinced I amanythingbut advising you, to the best of my ability and experience. Removing Kgosi and I when the dragons mourn and the kingdom faces war… it isnot wise.”
“Weneedto know what’s happening in Fyrehold—and even you agreed, the girl is the best channel of infiltration. Not to mention that we’ve already paved the fucking way! Don’t tell me now that you question the plan!”
“And if Lady Faye’s sudden interest isn’t coincidence? If it’s a trap?”
“It isn’t,” Diaan drawled from behind me, as if she were half-bored. I wasn’t fooled. She was attempting to keep Alexi from emotional decisions—and warning me to do the same. “Faye is nothing but a freeloader, sick of having her purse strings pinched by the king. She remained because she knew we’d host her as a royal guest. She only wishes to leave now because Bren’s appearance has filled her head with dreams of returning home on dragonback. It is an asset to you, Donavyn—she likes Bren. Shevery muchlikes you. And she knows if she arrives with both of you and the dragons, she’ll be wined and dined by every household in the court forweeks,all of them thirsty for her stories about the two of you. In truth, she can help your cause. My advice, keep her happy. If she feels connected to you, she’ll have you invited to every powerful house in Fyrehold within a month.”
Dammit.Fuck.
I knew she was right. Saw this for the provision it was. But everything in me screamedthat the timing was wrong. But staring at Alexi did nothing except force me to submit.
The king would not be moved—and had reached his limit of my persuasion.
Taking a deep breath, I bowed my head and muttered, “You can trust me. We’ll prepare the dragons to fly first thing in the morning and—”
“You’ll leave before High Moon tonight, Donavyn. It’stime.”
46. Let Me Love You
~ BREN ~
I’d slept in because Donavyn was called out before I woke. Again.
It had been hard waking up to find him gone. I'd ached to talk to him about the events with my parents. But at the same time, I didn’t have to. I feltgrounded.And he’d wished he didn't have to leave—he’d said so in his note. I knew we’d talk tonight. I just wished we’d had a few minutes to be together before the day began.
Thank God training didn’t start until nine. I was usually awake not long after the sun. But this morning I would barely have time to catch the end of breakfast service in the hall. It wasn’t until I pushed out of bed and observed the sunlight streaming through the crack in the curtains that I realized I had to sneak out of the building in broad daylight.
I grimaced. I hated the sneaking around. And it felt even more shameful after my father’s words and accusations the night before. But then I remembered Donavynspeakingto my father.
I smiled despite my distaste of the circumstances. I'd never felt morepreciousthan in those moments when Donavyn, in front of my brothers, snarled at my father about what I meant to him.
And his proposal...
My heart sang. I’d wished to be married since I was young. The thought hadn’t crossed my mind since I learned the truth about Ruin—whom I had imagined as my husband countless times. When Donavyn and I bonded it was so much more than any marriage I'd ever envisioned...
Yet, there was no denying that when he'd asked me to marry him,pleadedwith me, something in my heart leaped.
