Tor made a face. “But it wouldn’t work. Varex wouldn’t believe I was making a real effort.”
“But you’re going to try to convince Pelun that you’re really courting him, that you actually want a relationship with him. What’s going to happen when you leave?”
“This is a political courtship. That will surely be as clear to Pelun as it is to everyone else. It’s not like we actually know one another,” Tor reminded her. “Then Varex will sweep in and be all angry and righteous just like he usually is, and that’s going to sort everything out. All’s well that ends well.”
“But will it end well for Pelun?”
“I certainly hope so,” Tor said with a grin and a wink. “I’m hoping we’ll have plenty of fun together until Varex decides to be officious, and that will be the end of it.”
Ada was silent for a moment. “And if Pelun would prefer it didn’t end?”
“I think it more likely that he’ll realize we don’t suit. I can’t imagine we have much in common. So even if we’re compatible in some regards”—he waggled his eyebrows so she’d have no doubt what he was talking about—“only a fool would take that as a basis for a true marriage. If he decides he wants me just because I’m the High Prince, I won’t have any sympathy for him. I’m not about to allow myself to be snared by anyone.”
“But is it a snare if you’re the one setting the trap?” Ada asked.
Tor frowned. “It’s not a trap.”
“Isn’t it?” she pressed, tugging him to a stop and turning to look at him fully. “You’re going to make him think you’re courting him, but you really aren’t.”
“Iwillbe courting him, though,” he protested, “because that’s what Varex demanded. He said I had to make a real effort.”
“Is it a real effort if your plan is for Varex to swoop in and prevent it?” she demanded.
“He said courtship,” Tor reminded her, “and those don’t always end in marriage. We’ll just be getting to know one another, and like I said, by the end of it, we’ll probably have worked out we don’t suit. You know that.”
Tor couldn’t imagine anything more unlikely than either of them suddenly deciding that they actually belonged together. Tor couldn’t even bring an image of Pelun to mind, but they must have met at least once, if not several times, at a wedding or naming ceremony or coronation. There obviously hadn’t been a spark. As far as Tor had been able to observe, since the war, royalty made political alliances because they had to. Being allowed to back out of it would surely be a relief.
“Just be careful. I don’t want anyone getting hurt.”
Tor felt his lips tighten, and he wondered if he was looking like Yomil and Fernila again. He made an effort to relax. He looped his arm through hers and tugged them back into motion.
“I don’t either. But I didn’t start this; Varex did. There was no good reason to try to compel me to marry. It’s not like the United Realms are in jeopardy.”
There was the distant sound of shrieking, but neither Par nor Hena sounded upset.
“But the stronger our ties are, the better chance of peace we have,” Ada said earnestly.
“Is that why you married?” he asked quietly.
“I married because it was important to Varex and the United Realms,” she told him.
“But shouldn’t it have been more important to you?” Tor asked. “Shouldn’tyouhave been more important?”
She was silent for a moment. “We all make choices, Tor. Let this go.”
Chapter Four
Tor
Tor bit back an urge to keep arguing. It wasn’t like he hadn’t said it before. And unless he actually intended to kill Thurnil, there wasn’t anything more he could do.
No, he’d be sensible and keep visiting Ada—and continue to make clear that if Thurnil ever did anything seriously distressing to her, he wouldn’t live long enough to regret it. Tor certainly wasn’t going to be like Varex, safe in the castle in Nexa and ignoring what was actually going on. He would be active, and he would be present, and he would protect his sister as best he could.
And right now, that meant continuing to play with the children—never a hardship. It was easier than ever to run after them and pretend to be a monster who was hunting them down and could be slain by Extraordinary magic. And it was far less bothersome to be woken in the wee hours of the morning by a small child jumping in your bed when the bed wasn’t filled with people you maybe didn’t want the small child to see, and it didn’t feel as though a small army of busy blacksmiths had taken up residence in your head.
It turned out there were some benefits to being more frequently sober.
The other good thing about Ada being in on the entire thing was that she was able to procure the dye that Rin needed to help prolong their charade. Tor didn’t expect anyof it to hold up to a lasting inspection, but he was reasonably certain they could get away with it until Rin arrived in Glomar and actually had to see Terila.
