When I entered his study, unsurprisingly, his serious demeanor didn’t change, but he did stand and bow. “Princess Primelle, how kind of you to visit this morning.”
Kole positioned himself by the wall, stance wide and arms folded in front of him. At his back, his sword pommel rose like a razor.
I inclined my head at the House leader. “Thank you for allowing me to interrupt your morning.”
“Not at all.” The House leader gestured to the chair in front of his desk. “Is meeting in here all right? I’m afraid I have quite a few things on my agenda this morning, so I didn’t ask the staff to prepare the receiving room.”
“Of course, and I apologize for taking up your time, but I do appreciate you speaking with me.”
His face cracked slightly, just the slightest bit of curiosity peeking through. “And what is it you would like to discuss?” He returned to his seat behind his desk and steepled his fingers. “The dillemsill mentioned that you had urgent business matters to attend to.”
Behind me, Kole’s silence reigned, but his aura kicked up a notch, and since Kole was about to hear the entirety of why I was here, I just prayed to all the gods and goddesses that following this, he kept his intrusive questions at bay.
I smoothed my gold gown, then folded my hands in my lap. “I do, and I shall get straight to the point so I don’t waste any more of your time.” I squeezed my hands tightly together. “It’s cometo my attention that you have a strong interest in our kingdom’s mines.”
The lordling nodded. “I do. I govern quite a few of them, in the north at least. I can’t claim the same for the southern portion of our kingdom.”
“No, of course not. It’s my understanding that Lordling Messepire owns those mines.”
“You would be right.” He didn’t say anything further, and I could tell the polite smile plastered upon his face was out of good manners more than anything else.
I cleared my throat. “I wonder, have you ever considered expanding your mines into Stonewild Kingdom?”
His eyebrows slanted together. “Stonewild?”
“Yes, I’ve been told they’ve harvested more diamonds in Stonewild than any other kingdom on our continent.”
He leaned back and frowned. For a moment, he didn’t say anything, but then he replied, “I’ve heard the same. However, I’m struggling to understand what that has to do with my mines or how I would expand into a kingdom I have no right to enter?”
“Of course.” Flustered, I ran a hand through my hair, then balled my hands together tightly in my lap again. “I’ll cut right to the point.” My knuckles looked sharp enough to cut through skin, and I forced my grip to loosen. “I think it would be advantageous for your House, as well as for our kingdom, if Mistvale created an agreement with Stonewild. Tunnels could be built beneath the land, similar to what’s been done in the Osterland Exchange, and we could connect our great resources with our eastern neighbor’s.”
Lordling Torleaf blinked. “Tunnels?” His tone turned drab. “From the northern portion of our kingdom to Stonewild? Do you know how much work and time it would take to construct such a thing?”
My smile grew strained. I’d had the same reservations when my uncle had told me he wanted them built. Such a venture was preposterous, but if itdidhappen, my uncle would prosper. Greatly, no doubt.
Silence descended around me, but I didn’t know what to say. All social skills fled, because what I was saying was ridiculous, and I knew it.
Behind me, Kole didn’t say a word. He didn’t even move, yet his aura warmed my back, his energy rising.
If my heart had been beating, I had no doubt it would be racing right now. Sweat would’ve been lining my palms as well, and my breaths would have turned shallow.
But I had no reaction, none in the slightest physically. Instead, I sat as still as a stone, watching the lordling in front of me while waiting for him to speak further, and I prayed that I wouldn’t have to magically sway him.
Finally, Lordling Torleaf cocked his head and narrowed his eyes. “Where is this coming from, Princess Primelle?”
I gave a short laugh, hoping to lighten the atmosphere. “I’m not sure how much you know of me, but I’ve spent all of my adult life working in libraries and studying. And while I was away recently, I came across some interesting documents that spoke of the mines in our northern region and how veins within them may extend into Stonewild despite the magic at the border, and how it’s believed that if they’re connected, the magic producing the gems within their depths would?—”
“And where are these documents?”
My voice grew shrill. “I’m afraid I wasn’t able to bring them with me, but it did give me the idea of forming a new exchange between the kingdoms.”
“I’ve heard of this theory before.” The lordling sighed. “Excuse me, Your Highness, but I’m afraid I don’t have any interest in pursuing this endeavor. The cost to fund such aventure would be extraordinary, and I’d have to lease the land and pay royalties to the other nobles in the northern region since I’d be infringing upon their areas, and there’s no guarantee combining the mines via tunnels would cause an explosion of magic anyway, and I”—he shook his head and sighed again—“I’m afraid I simply have no interest in this, so my answer is no.”
My shoulders sagged. Of course he didn’t have an interest in it. Because in the end, the only ones guaranteed to make a profit would be the very nobles Lordling Torleaf would be paying the royalties to. All my uncle would need to do was sign a document while Lordling Torleaf came up with the funds, time, and means to produce such tunnels.
And while eventually, perhaps in a century or so, House Torleaf would begin to see a decent profitifthe magic did react as some guessed it would, it would still be much work for a gambled payout. The only reason the Osterland Exchange had been formed at all was because of the close proximity of the southeastern portion of Mistvale to Faewood. The mines were closer there, allowing easier access.
My smile wavered. “But don’t you think you should at least consider it? Perhaps think it over? I could return?—”
