“Welcome to Harendell, Your Highness.” Cavendish bowed low. “We are so pleased to host you, for long have Harendell and Valcotta been friends.”
“I hope the friendship continues,” Keris replied. “Thank you for agreeing to the visit. War looms, and I feel compelled to do what I can to prevent it.”
Cavendish gave a tight smile. “We should all like to avoid any more violence. Has Ithicana’s king decided to denounce his sister?”
Keris returned the smile. “I believe that’s a conversation I’d best have with your own king.”
“Of course.” Though he was undoubtedly annoyed, the other man’s face was a mask of composure as he gestured to the waiting carriage. “My people will arrange for your belongings to be brought to Fernleigh House. Shall we?”
They walked down the dock, Saam and his soldiers jockeying for position with the Harendellians, a multitude of glares exchanged.
“Apologies,” Keris murmured. “The empress personally charged them with protecting my well-being, and her wrath is a thing to behold.”
“You must sleep easy being so well cared for by your wife.”
“Like a baby,” Keris responded, amused by Cavendish’s sorry attempt to bait him. “There’s much to be said for having a dangerous woman in your bed.”
“I’ll have to take your word on that, Your Highness. Being a military man myself, I’ve always been the more dangerous one beneath the sheets.”
“It does require a certain degree of nerve.”
Cavendish’s jaw tightened. “I’ve never met a woman I couldn’t top.”
“Then I daresay you’ve never truly lived.” A footman opened the door to the carriage, and Keris gave Cavendish a condescending pat on the shoulder. “A bit of advice, man-to-man: The view from the bottom is better.”
Not giving the idiot a chance to respond, Keris climbed into the carriage, only to freeze as his eyes latched onto a familiar face.
“Welcome to Harendell, Your Highness,” Queen Alexandra Ashford said, the wound on her face twisting as she smiled. “We are so delighted to have you here with us.”
Keris inclined his head. “I appreciate your gracious acceptance of my request, Your Majesty. I have seen enough war to last a lifetime, and if I can aid in averting another, I will gladly do so.”
She gestured toward the seat opposite her with one gloved hand. “We all wish to avoid war.”
Keris sat, but as he did, he was struck with a sense of déjà vu of sitting before his father’s desk in the tower of the Vencia palace. His skin crawled, but he kept his unease off his face.
The carriage swayed as the horses made their way into the city, and Alexandra was silent, her green eyes contemplative.
“I hope your recovery is going smoothly,” Keris said to break the silence.
“As well as can be hoped.” Alexandra smoothed the silk of her black skirts. “The physical pain is manageable now, but…” She sighed and gestured to her cheek. “At my age and experience, I shouldn’t care about the disfigurement, but I find it difficult to look in the mirror. The weakness of vanity.”
“A weakness I share, so you’ll get no judgment from me.” Nor would he be so easily lured in by this pretense of fragility. North and south, Alexandra’s reputation was well known. Cold. Hard. Infinitely well mannered but always aloof. Above all else, she was infamous for her ruthless intelligence.
“I appreciate the sentiment, although I suspect your vanity is rarely tested. You will have the ladies of my court swooning, of that I have no doubt.”
“I’m a married man, Your Grace.”
“A love story for the ages, I’m told. Edward was entranced with the lengths to which you went to rescue Zarrah.” She smiled, but there was no warmth in her eyes. “My late husband believed in true love.”
Except Edward’s true love hadn’t been his wife.“His letters were endlessly entertaining. While we never met, I do feel as though I knew the late king well, and he will be sorely missed.”
“His loss is a hole that will never be filled.” Alexandra’s gaze broke from his, fixing on the gilded handle of the carriage door. “Tell me, does the empress know you are here?”
A question that logistics gave answer to, but Keris said, “Word has been sent to her. She will support my presence, if that’s your concern, Your Grace. Valcotta’s relationship with Ithicana is strong, and my wife counts Aren and Lara as dear friends. She has a vested interest in peace.”
“As do we all.” Alexandra braced her hand against the side of the carriage as they rolled over a hole in the cobbles. “Has Aren reconsidered his position?”
“Ahnna is not in Ithicana.” Keris winced as they bounced over yet another hole. “But you know that, don’t you, Your Grace? How could you not when Prince James himself is in pursuit of Ahnna through the Blackreaches?”
