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When they left, my smile dropped to frown at my cousin, who lounged on my luxurious bed, deliberately ignoring me.

“Could you at least pretend to be on board with your own plan, Anise?”

Anise let out an overly heavy sigh, as if the request was the greatest imposition she’d ever heard. “You know how to do all that armor stuff better than I.”

“You do realize that if you don’t play the role of my squire properly, they’ll send you home?”

“Then I’ll tell everyone who your parents are, and you’ll be sent home right along with me.”

I clenched my fists to hold back from throwing something at her. “Maybe I’ll just tell them we’ve been lying about you being a squire. How do you think the king will take being lied to?”

“Fine,” my cousin snapped. She shoved up from the bed and grabbed a delicate gauntlet, flipping it around as if she didn’t know which way was up—as if she’d never worn one herself. “But I’m not doing this ever again. I’m above this.”

“If you ever want to see court again, you may want to find a noble husband while they’re all gathered for the reception. A marquis, perhaps. Aunt hasn’t rejected any of them yet.”

It was a low blow. And we both knew it. Unless she lied to their faces, half the nobles there had been rejected by her wretched mother, and the rest had heard enough to know she should be avoided. She glared at me even harder, this time her eyes ringed by barely contained tears.

Still, she helped me with the parts of the armor I couldn’t reach. I should have felt satisfied. This was my day, my time in the sun. Instead I felt petty and awful. My aunt had ruined both of our lives, in a way.

“You’re charming,” I said, and I don’t know why I felt I had to say anything to make her feel better, she didn’t deserve it. “And beautiful. And without Aunt here to interfere, I’m sure if I ask the king to do so he will arrange you with someone.”

“I should be in your place,” she snapped, tearing away from me. “I should be marrying the king.”

“Well, you’re not,” I snapped back. “You had just as much opportunity as me to win the position, but you cared more for the title of knight than working on your craft. You made your bed.”

She stumbled over her words for a moment. “You shouldn’t have been good at any of this. You were supposed to help me become the perfect knight. You stole my position.”

I felt myself shaking with anger. I shouldn’t let her words affect me, not now. I felt compelled to pull the rope and have her escorted out all over again.

But she was my blood. And her plight was more my aunt’s doing than hers. In a way, she was a victim as much as I was—only she didn’t have the good sense to do something about it.

Well, I did. And I wouldn’t allow her to take this from me.

If you value your future at court, I should have said, you will attend my wedding and find a noble who will take you. Or remain my squire. But you can’t just complain and feel sorry for yourself. You can’t keep blaming me for what you and your mother have done. Take your future into your own hands, cousin, if you wish. But you will not take mine.

But I didn’t say a word. Because when had Ann ever listened to me?

Instead, I stormed out of the room without looking back.

CHAPTER13CALLIOPE

Albert led me down a winding corridor, and when I turned the corner I found myself in a small room with three walls opening into a massive courtyard, so wide and long my destination seemed miles off. Even from here, I could hear the chatter of the crowd—there must have been thousands of people present. Near the exit, an exquisite open carriage with a large horse at the front waited in the shade. And of course, endlessly present and blocking my way, was Beric.

He seemed to be allergic to bright colors. Black, black, and black, save for his gold rings and the chain around his neck and his earrings, which were lovely teardrop emeralds rimmed with gold. In a way, we matched, and there was something about it that was a bit … charming.

Although, admittedly, it was frustrating how inconceivably handsome he looked when I was trying so desperately to push him away because of the trouble he was causing me.

“Congratulations, my lady,” said Albert. He kissed my hand, then excused himself and left far too quickly. I was alone with Beric.

Perhaps I’d been hoping for someone to act as a buffer. Between me and the king. Me and Beric.

Me and the unknown.

I strolled forward to get a better look at the gorgeous gold and ivory carriage—well, it was more like a Roman chariot, as there was no seating and the back was fully open. And there wasn’t a coachman either. Just a large, beautiful black mare. Perhaps she would act as my safety, if I could only get to her without having to pass Beric first.

And so I was stuck with this infuriating boy, and I hadn’t the slightest idea how to fill the time without an argument ensuing. I felt embarrassed about my behavior toward him, but the worst thing I could do was to bring it up. I just wanted to get through this and get to the reception, find Ann a husband, and enjoy my night. It was outlandish that I should be spending my own wedding day thinking of my cousin’s marriage, but I supposed if I actually had feelings for my future husband, it would have felt stranger.

As usual, Beric looked a bit stern, as if fun wasn’t in his vocabulary even on such a celebratory day as this. But then, as Kat had said, this was only protocol, anyway.