I nodded before my gaze shifted to Lily. She seemed smaller, her posture hunched over as she sat shoulder to shoulder beside Irsha. I raised an eyebrow, tilting my head ever so slightly, but she shook her head, stubborn as always.
Irsha observed our silent communication, eyes narrowed. When we finished, he grasped Lily’s chin, tilting it up to his face.‘Whatever you’re hiding, I’ll take care of it, but I need to know what I’m facing.’ When her eyes filled with tears, his expression hardened. ‘Just tell me. I almost lost my mind seeing that bastard dragging you into the carriage.’
‘I’m married, and my husband came to reclaim his wife,’ she said, pulling away from him, chin raised in defiance. Irsha let her go. He sat there, mouth agape as the colour drained from his olive skin. I held my breath. My Blade never lost control, but seeing his fists clenching the bed sheet, my heart broke for him. Lily’s body turned rigid, a red blush covering her cheeks as she stared back at him, neither explaining nor apologising. Her eyes grew colder, more distant, with each heartbeat. The Ice Queen had returned, hiding her emotions from a world that had hurt her deeply enough already.
‘Irsha…’ I said. He raised a finger without even looking at me, his attention fully focused on Lily.
‘Lilliana Ordon, you are not married, and no man will claim, or reclaim anything from you ever again,’ he said. Lily looked at me, but I shrugged, not knowing what to say. His words made little sense. Worse, his brown eyes gained a wild gleam, narrowing when he’d ripped the satin sheets with his bare hands.
‘My marriage contract won’t disappear just because you say so,’ Lily said, her voice rising when Irsha smirked.
‘Oh yes, it will.’ His voice was as menacing as a winter storm, the hand grasping her chin trembling gently. ‘Hear me well, Lilliana. You are not married. The woman I know wouldn’t run away from the husband she loved. You might have been sold off like bloody cattle, but this can be easily fixed. Just give me his name.’
I rubbed my forehead, exhaling quietly, torn between duty to my friend and to the kingdom. I would sleep better if Nirsen, herhusband, were no longer walking the earth, but that would mean going against the court of Lumivitae, and Reynard needed allies.
‘You’re not killing anyone in my name,’ Lily said.
‘Lilliana, he sent soldiers to kidnap you. Why are you protecting him?’ Irsha cupped her face in his massive hands. ‘I can’t see you hurt. Lily, let me fix it. Please?’
Her eyes searched his face, looking for something, before a small smile spread over her lips. She placed her hand on his, slightly tilting her head before she kissed the inside of his palm. I turned around, counting the threads on the tapestry, giving them space in their private moment.
‘You don’t care that I’m married?’ Lily’s voice was small but so full of hope.
Irsha wrapped his hand around her waist, pressing her to his side. ‘You’re in my arms, and in my heart, that’s all that counts. Why would I care about some coward too scared to face you himself?’ His voice, gentle and warm, did nothing to conceal the anger as his finger traced the bruise on Lily’s skin. She relaxed within his coiled rage. ‘Say the word,mila.Allow me to make you a widow.’
Mila.Irsha’s heart finally found the right word to declare his feelings. Once, when we were young, he’d thought he loved me and called me that, explaining how his mother taught him the word and its meaning – the name for the one your heart chooses above all else.
Fucking finally,I thought, biting my lip, happy for them both despite the complicated situation.
Lily placed her head against Irsha’s chest, her breathing relaxed. ‘I wish I’d met you earlier. My life would be so different if I’d had someone to stand up for me when I was at my weakest,’ she murmured, and I wondered how many times she’d had to bow to the will of others.
Irsha sighed, embracing her, his chin resting on the top of her head. ‘I won’t do anything against your wishes, but tell me about yourself. The real you.’
Lily’s shoulders slumped. ‘I’m a daughter of Marquess Ordo’lan, Senechal of Lumivitae, and married to Nirsen’li Tir’sa, Herald of the Kingdom. That’s why you can’t kill him.’ She looked at me, bitterness colouring her voice. ‘The fae have long memories… and an even longer reach. My life is not worth starting a war over when your king’s already fighting one.’
‘Rey will protect you,’ I heard myself saying. ‘We just need to hold on until he returns. Move to the palace; even your husband’s men won’t dare to attack you there. I’ll ask Riordan to prepare a suite.’
I was so preoccupied with planning that it took a while to notice both Irsha and Lily were looking at me in disbelief.
‘You can’t invite me to the palace, Sana,’ Lily said gently. ‘I know the king treats you differently, but you are not the queen or even his official mistress…’ In the silence that followed her words, the bells in the city chimed softly, announcing noon.
‘Oh, for the love of daisies,’ I muttered, before turning to her. ‘I can’t… not yet, but the regent can. I’ll talk with Riordan. Pack your things. Irsha, I need your best men standing guard as her servants, and don’t argue with me on this. I can’t…’ I swallowed hard, pressure building in my mind. ‘I can’t go south whilst worrying about you.’
Irsha’s eyes warmed, and his proud smile lit up a face darkened by a short stubble.
‘Go, Trouble. Talk to the regent. I doubt he’ll be able to refuse his queen. Once this is sorted, we’ll head south,’ Irsha said, but the eagerness in his voice sounded more worrying than his calling me queen.
‘South? Why?’ Lily looked at me, her focus shifting from her own troubles to mine.
‘I need to go to Tivalaran. Ernesto seems to be planning on inviting Tangra to our shores, possibly using the Wey Gates or his newly dredged ports. I’m planning a little sabotage while I steal Rey’s marriage contract.’ I looked at Irsha, who sat there with his arm wrapped around Lily so protectively that the army of Light Fae would struggle to pry her from his grip. ‘That’s it in a nutshell.’
‘Most of which you hadn’t told me,’ Irsha said, pulling away from Lily and approaching me. His hands landed on my shoulders, and when I raised my head, I met his gaze. A pair of beautiful brown eyes, as warm as amber from southern seas, now looked at me with anger and determination.
‘Because I didn’t plan to take you with me. If my father hadn’t been so stubborn… But the situation changed. Now you have to stay here, yes?’ I asked hopefully, groaning when he shook his head.
‘Nothing has changed.’ His jaw clenched as he minced his words, guilt creeping into his voice. ‘Ensure Riordan agrees, and I’ll provide security, but we’re going together.’ Irsha swallowed hard, hands tightening on my shoulders.
My heart ached for him, but there was no changing his mind when the muscle on his cheek twitched like this. ‘Blade, if you think I would leave my best friend without the best protection this kingdom can offer, you don’t know me at all.’ I scoffed, rolling my eyes.
