“How about Pendralia?” I taunt.
“I already changed the bylaws. If something happens to me, you’ll rule in my stead.” He returns his attention to Anya.
My pulse races. “Why would you do that?”
He shrugs. “You’re my wife.”
“And I’ve been trying to kill you,” I hiss.
Yasmin glances over at us, then quickly looks away.
Caiden smirks. He enjoyed that. Of course he did. I resist the urge to roll my eyes as he leans closer to me, his lips hovering above my ear. “You may have been trying to kill me, but you haven’t. And you’ve had opportunity.”
“You had my best friend held hostage,” I remind him.
“Then I suppose we’ll see if you have the ambition to become empress.” He straightens.
“Everything is healing nicely,” the matron announces. She looks over at me and smiles. “In about an hour, she’ll need to rest her eyes again. Would you like me to come apply the salve?”
“I can do it myself,” Anya insists.
“I can help her,” I offer.
“Of course,” the matron says. “Three hours again, then an hour of open eyes, then back to the salve for the rest of the night. Tomorrow, you can switch to just nighttime if the swelling remains low.”
“Thank you,” I say.
“Yes, thank you,” Anya adds.
“I can walk you out,” Caiden offers.
The matron inclines her head. “Thank you, Your Majesty. And of course, if you need anything, don’t hesitate to summon me.”
“Would you like me to stay?” Yasmin offers.
“I think we can manage,” Anya says.
“Thanks for your help,” I tell her.
She curtsies then follows the others out of the room.
“What was all that whispering over there?” Anya asks. “Since when are you and the emperor getting along?”
“I’m not sure, honestly,” I admit. “But I think he might have just dared me to try to kill him.”
“Why would he do that?” she asks.
“I wish I knew.”
Thirty-Eight
Sabina
Anya’s sleeping peacefully again when I finally leave her side. My whole body aches from sitting in the chair for so long, but I wasn’t about to let her know I was uncomfortable. With each application of the salve, the swelling has improved. I’m hoping when she wakes in the morning, it’ll be gone, and she can leave her eyes open tomorrow.
I wander into Caiden’s main chambers. His bed is still untouched, and I wonder if that means he didn’t sleep in it or if the servants came and tidied it while I was with Anya.
He’s sitting on the couch in front of the fire. As soon as he hears me, he sets down the book he was reading.
