The king and his second shared a look.
“Whatever it is, can it wait?” the king said. “The heirs are to be awarded their ships.”
“I’m afraid not.” Seindra nervously twisted her hair. “May we speak in private?”
I took a step forward with Darcke following like my shadow. “I?—”
“Whatever needs to be said, do it now and do it here,” the king ordered sharply. “We’re in the summer trials, not here to settle some chiefdom dispute.”
“I assure you this doesn’t affect only Oenskan,” she replied calmly.
My heart hammered so hard against my rib cage it felt like everyone else should be able to hear it, and Darcke’s chin brushed my shoulder as he leaned in to whisper, “Breathe.”
“See… I know the bonding has happened, but Chief Sweengard and I are worried about our daughter.”
The king gave me a once-over that had my hands tremble. “You do not trust your heir?”
“We trusther,” Seindra said, the small smile on her face more chilling than the tree that had tried to crush us last night. “It’s your warrior we do not trust.”
A darkness crossed the king’s face. “Are you implying I cannot control my men?”
“No,” she rushed out. “But he is a foreigner, and he doesn’t understand our clan’s ways.” She turned to us, pretending to wear a worried expression. “I’ve understood he…” She lowered her voice into a whisper. “Cares for her more than he should.”
It went quiet. The breeze coming in from the Northern Sea pounded against our ears, accompanied by the familiar sound of waves crashing against cliffs, crafting a song of threat and malice. I cursed violently in my mind when Darcke flew back a step, his boots drumming against the cliffs and drawing every pair of eyes his way.
“Isn’t that what you meant, Viljan?” Seindra asked innocently.
My former guard stood frozen, and my limbs locked as well when his wide eyes found mine.
“He took two daggers for her,” she pushed. “Doesn’t that imply that their bond is already fracturing?” Her hands brushed my arm as if in support, and I couldn’t even recoil. “Fritiof told me this has happened before—a second falling for their heir—and that the gods granted the heir a new second as long as the first was sacrificedin their honor.”
I didn’t know blood could run so cold, but mine was ice as it churned through my body.
I didn’t dare turn to Darcke, but I could feel his fury tinging the air—taste the blood he couldn’t stop thinking about spilling.
“Do you have proof?” the king asked quietly.
“Of course she doesn’t—” Darcke spun the king’s way, but I was able to grab his fist before he lunged at the hand the monarch raised.
“Stop,” I hissed, before trying to level my voice as I addressed the king. “I assure you nothing like that has happened.”
Yet.My teeth ground hard as the thought wrangled itself through my mind.
Darcke went so still my lungs refused me air. I fought for my life not to allow a blush to creep up my cheeks. I was too aware of him—too affected by him—and as I tried to casually shift my weight, the movement became clumsy, my foot slipping on the cliff.
He didn’t steady me this time, leaving my back cold and unprotected.
Guner cleared his throat. “Other seconds were injured, too, Seindra. This is a dangerous accusation.”
“I just…” Seindra’s eyes dipped. “I have no proof but a mother’s intuition.”
She was truly a master at acting.
I guess she would have to be, having pretended I was her daughter for twenty-two years.
Shewasworried, but not for me.
Folding my arms around myself, I took a deep breath. “I realize choosing Darcke was unconventional, and it was not what had been agreed with my father. Of course my mother worries.” Bile went up and down my throat as I took her hand in mine. “I promise nothing of the kind has happened, nor will it happen. I wanted Darcke for his skill in battle, which has already proved useful. Nothing more.”
