“I don’tthinkanything. Iknowyou’re going to let Eiri and Syrus walk out of here unharmed, to wherever they wish to go. What’s more, you’re not going to chase them.”
Eiri startled, his grip on Syrus’ hand tightening. He’d never have believed Ellis, the sweet, quiet young man he counted as a friend, could hold so much fury in his words.
“And why would I do that,Ellis?” she hissed. Her grip tightened, but Ellis didn’t even blink. Until that moment, Eiri realized he’d never seen the two beside each other before. If he had, he’d have noticed how little Ellis looked like his mother.
“Because if you don’t, I think we’ll have to revisit our agreement.”
To his utter shock, Queen Delia blanched. She recovered quickly, so fast that he doubted anyone not standing directly beside them had noticed, but Eiri saw the flash of genuine fear in her eyes before she smothered it.
“You are testing your luck, boy.” Her words were a low growl, the fury in her dark eyes focused solely on her youngest child.
Ellis didn’t flinch, nor did he back down. He simply stood there, arms loose at his sides, daring the queen to call his bluff. The stalemate dragged on and on, and with every passing second, Eiri’s anxiety grew until it was all he could do not to grab his husband and flee. Not that either of them would make it past the doors, of course, but anything was better than standing here, waiting to see if she’d call for his execution.
That’s not what happened, though. No, what happened then was something he’d never seen coming.
Queen Delia, matriarch of Vaetreas and the woman who’d made the lives of every Canjiri a living nightmare… backed down.
She didn’t step away from her sons. She couldn’t without being seen as weak. The fire in her eyes blazed when she looked at Syrus and Ellis. For Syrus, the look was pure fury for outmaneuvering her, for daring to care for Eiri and putting her in this position. When her gaze shifted to Ellis, though…
Eiri shuddered. No mother should look at her child with the unmasked hatred Queen Delia directed at her youngest son.
She took a moment to collect herself, and Eiri could see her mind racing, figuring out how to spin this to her advantage.
“The evidence you’ve presented seems to clear Eiri’s name,” she said finally, releasing Ellis. She projected her voice again, allowing the witnesses back into the conversation. “It also highlights how strained relations with Canjir have been.”
Eiri didn’t laugh in her face, but it was close. Strained relations? That was the diplomatic understatement of the century.
Behind him, the doors to the great hall swung open and the guards the queen had sent after Kien walked inside, but the ambassador was nowhere to be seen. Eiri couldn’t say he was surprised. The moment the older man realized his plan had failed, he surely would have run.
“I’m sorry, your Majesty, but the ambassador appears to have fled,” the guard informed her, bowing deeply. Queen Delia didn’t appear anymore surprised about this than Eiri was.
“Keep looking,” she ordered. “Send out patrols, sweep the city. Do whatever it takes to find the man who tried to kill my son.”
The guards bowed again and hurried out. The crowd of courtiers were whispering again, their nods and even a few smiles telling Eiri they approved of the queen’s actions.
“It’s clear to me now we must do more to strengthen the ties between Vaetreas and Canjir,” Delia continued, finally looking at Syrus again. “Given your marriage to Eiri, it only makes sense to appoint you our country’s ambassador to Canjir.”
Syrus leaned his weight more heavily into Eiri’s side, and both of them stood in stunned silence for a moment. Was this really happening? How had they gone from death’s doorstep to ambassadors in just a few hours?
“Your Majesty, I’m not sure I understand,” Syrus said slowly.
“A ship will be readied to take you to Canjir,” she said, her voice calm and level as she turned her attention back to Syrus, bypassing Eiri completely. “You will take up residence on the island as official representatives of Vaetreas. I expect regular reports, and you will ensure that the mining operations continue. Should you fail in that, we will renegotiate my expectations.”
Negotiations. It was all Eiri could do not to laugh out loud as giddy relief welled up within him. This wasn’t a negotiation. It was the tactical retreat of someone who knew they’d been defeated.
Syrus shifted beside him, and Eiri looked over to see his husband watching him, a silent question in his eyes.
Is this what you want?
This was more than he’d hoped for. Never in his wildest, most desperate imaginings had he thought something like this could be possible. He squeezed Syrus’ hand, letting his cautious happiness show in the look he gave him.
Syrus was still pale, lines of pain bracketing his face, but the soft smile he gave Eiri was the most beautiful thing Eiri had ever seen.
“Agreed,” Syrus said to his mother, then leaned in, lowering his voice before continuing. “On one condition.”
Her lips tightened into a hard line, eyes narrowing. “What condition?”
“Xan and Ellis will not be punished for helping us. I wouldbe dead right now if it weren’t for them, and we never would have known of the ambassador’s involvement.”
