I didn’t want to consider what that entailed.
Lucinda sat at the head of the table. Blair was on her left, and I was on her right. Hart sat next to me, like the queen wanted him as far from her as possible.
“How quickly you disturb the peace of our city.” Lucinda’s pointed glance was aimed at Hart.
My eyes narrowed at the assumption. “I’d think it was the assassins that disturbed the peace, Your Majesty. Hart only defended me.”
I regretted the words as soon as the smirk curled Hart’s lip. It was too knowing. Like he had further evidence—like heknewI was angry on his behalf.
How could he break our silent truce like that? I could only stand to be around him because we spoke of nothing of substance. Our focus was on breaking our curse and going our separate ways.
We’re connected more than you want to admit.
“Fucking Chaos,” I mumbled. Hart’s smirk grew, and across from me, Blair’s brow raised in question. My gloved hand covered my mouth. I couldn’t believe I’d said that aloud.
This entire situation was untenable.
Steam rose from the plate now filled with food. Roasted meat, charred vegetables, and fresh berries were served to each of us.
The queen looked thoughtful, ignoring my curse. “You called him that before. Hart, is it?”
“A different kind of family name,” I replied automatically.
Hart smirked at that, too, and I wanted to scream.
“Well, I guess I don’t need to ask what you two are to each other.” The queen gestured between us.
I nearly choked on my wine but had the presence of mind to realize we had wanted them to believe we were together. It was better than the alternative, paying too close attention to who I was. I gave her a slight dip of my chin.
“Your nonverbal communication is clear enough. But I’m told very few know the origin of his chosen name.”
Hart’s head cocked, and I understood the action for what it was—a question. He had said he didn’t spend much time with the royal family on his last visit. How did she know such a detail? Who had told her?
The queen continued. “I’m not judging. So long as you know who and what he is, your decisions are your own.”
Hart cleared his throat.
Who and what he is.My heart clenched in my chest. He said she knew, but it still stung to hear. A relative stranger, someone Hart didn’t even like, knew the secret he’d kept from me. How many in Kavios knew?
Embarrassment at how he’d played me heated my cheeks.
“Is there something you wanted to ask us, Lucinda?” Hart pressed. I didn’t think too hard about the discomfort he must have felt to interrupt.
“We’re only curious why you’re here, Sebastien,” Blair replied instead of Lucinda. “You’ve read Delphine’s journals many times. What more could you need to know?”
Lucinda spoke again before Hart could respond to Blair’s question. “We haven’t considered Emberline’s interests, dear. She had always wanted to visit the Library of Linia, after all.”
I stilled with my fork midway to my mouth. I had told Blair I’d always wanted to visit Linia, not necessarily the library. We’d let them assume Hart had returned to read the journals, continuing his readings from his prior visits.
That was the second fact Lucinda shouldn’t have known. The hairs on my neck stood on end as I considered what thismeant. She had knowledge about me and Hart that we hadn’t given her.
A variation of the truth was my best bet in times of stress. “It still amazes me that the library is so freely available to all. That the history of your kingdom isn’t behind lock and key.”
The queen cut into the carrot on her plate and spoke. “No matter what one thinks of Rodric and his Blessed, it’s the lack of information in that kingdom that is truly abhorrent. I do wish more would venture into our city as you have done.”
I shoved a forkful of blueberries into my mouth to stop my immediate response, which would have questioned if lack of information was really as bad as lack of emotion, as bad as having your feelings stolen to fuel magic. But I didn’t know how much those in Linia knew about the magic the Blessed wielded. It was another topic I’d rather not broach.
Upon swallowing the tart fruit, I found a more generous response. “It is a testament to your leadership that the knowledge is so freely available.”
