“His blood is clean, sire. I can assure you of that.” The Líaig licked his lips.
Putrid.
Skyre wanted nothing more than to wring that look of satisfaction off the healer’s face.
“Then the wedding may proceed,” Medhin said woefully. “Thank you.”
The Líaig bowed himself out, but the Vaich refused to spare him another look. He moved as if hollow, his mind busy with noise.
Most sweet…
Skyre stood over the basin. His reflection was faint and distorted. His mouth twisted and he splashed water over his face.
Nothing about the druid wassweet, yet he was endlesslyspecial.Even his blood was precious.
Which of us is favorite?
The Vaich’s chamberlain came next, piping requests into his ear. Skyre heard nothing but the druid’s words.
Something called me here… it needs me…
Did it not need him, too?
“Just sign here, Majesty.”
Skyre squinted in confusion. “Huh?”
The chamberlain blushed with irritation as Medhin observed hawkishly in the corner. “To recognize the druid as your consort. We need your signature to begin.”
A crash sounded beyond the door and Skyre glanced up as the old priest rushed in.
“My liege! I do not wish to disturb you, but the offense is too much!” Othrik burst between shallow breaths.
“And what offense is that?” Skyre asked.
“The druid, sire.”
“Cré ma nighm!” Skyre snarled. “Is everything to do with him?”
“I caught him in the night, sneaking about the archives.”
“The archives?” Medhin looked baffled.
Skyre stilled. “On his own?”
What could he possibly mean to do there? In any case, Skyre had given him no permission to do so. To think he now had to consider where hisblushing bridewas slinking off to in the night…
“Such behavior mustn’t go unpunished,” Othrik said. “The savage has no respect for our wares, our dominion, nor yours!”
It was a dangerous edge Skyre walked. To do nothing would embolden already too bold a thing, but to act brashly would neither tether him tighter.
This damned druid.
“Is it not enough that I be made to marry a man, but that he also be a raging, barbarous heathen?” He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “What would you have me do? We could not even succeed at killing him. How shall we punish him now?”
“He must submit before you! Before the gods!”
“What do we know of the gods?” Skyre snapped. “The only one here with any certainty is the so-called savage!”
