“No—I’m not—” I stop and rub my free hand over my face. This conversation has turned around too quickly. Piled on top of my worry about Jake, all this is a bit much to process.
“My lady,” he says quietly.
Slowly, I lower my hand and look at him.
“This is not a bargain,” he says. “You ask me for a meeting with an enchantress; I ask you to risk your life for my people. Neither option guarantees your safety—or even a path home. As always, I have nothing to offer you. I can promise to intercede with Lilith on your behalf, but that is not worth what I am asking of you.”
His voice is so earnest. Like when he spoke in the hallway, these words feel like truth. Like we’ve moved past pretense, and I’m finally seeing the real Rhen. Maybe it’s because he’s stopped talking about being cursed by something—and he’s started talking about doing something.
“This was my father’s kingdom,” he says. “This is now my kingdom. I may not be able to save myself—but I may be able to save my people.”
I think about what he said earlier, how the choices we get may not be the choices we want—but they’re still choices.
I have a choice here. I can say no to this. Climbing down the trellis was risky—but this is insane. There’s no way it’ll work. Pretending to be a princess for three minutes doesn’t mean I can do it again.
But what are my options? To say no? What will that mean for the people downstairs? What will that mean for me?
My mother never backed down from the men who came to our door. She never left my father’s side—not even when she should have. She did it for me. And for Jake. And for our father, too, in a way.
I swallow. “Okay.” I pause. “I’ll do it.”
“My lady.” He looks as shocked as he did when I hugged him. It’s almost comical.
“I’ll help you save your country and you’ll help me get home. Deal?” I put out a hand.
He extends a hand, and I clasp it with mine. His palm is warm, his grip stronger than I’d expect.
“Deal.” His hand holds mine like he doesn’t want to go. If he keeps looking at me like this, I’m going to start blushing.
“It’s time to let go,” I say. My stupid voice is breathy.
He lets go and sits back. “Play your next card.”
Yes. Good. The game. Right.
I have seven cards. He has six—two of which I know are kings. I have a king in my hand from when he originally dealt, but if I don’t find another, he’ll win.
I lay down a four of stones on the discard pile. “What do we do now?”
He plays a four of swords. “I think you should accept Freya’s offer.”
“Freya’s—what?”
“She offered to serve as lady-in-waiting, did she not? I believe you should accept. I will have Commander Grey seal off the problematic rooms in the castle. I have spoken with him about re-creating the Royal Guard so we may travel among the people and make our presence known.”
I was stuck on wondering what a lady-in-waiting even does, but his last comment throws me. “You’ve already talked to Grey about this?”
His eyes meet mine. “Of course.”
Of course.
I play a ten of swords. “How did you know I’d say yes?”
“I did not.” He tosses a ten of stones onto the pile.
I can’t decide if he’s infuriating or amazing. “But you just started making plans anyway?”
He looks at me like I’m deliberately being obtuse. “My lady, I began joining my father on matters of state when I was ten years old. I had my own advisers by the time I was sixteen. I may not be able to find a path out of this curse, but I was raised to rule this kingdom.”
Something about that is fascinating—but also a little sad. When I was ten, Mom was throwing my blankets on the floor to wake me up for school.
Mom. My throat thickens and I have to clear it. I add a six of stones to the pile. “When I was ten, I could barely organize a bowl of cereal.”
He adds a card to the pile. “Surely your courage and tenacity more than made up for it.”
I frown at that. “I already said yes. You can save all the pretty words.”
He draws back. “You believe me insincere? Do you think I would have asked this of just anyone?”
I study him, thrown. “I don’t know.”
“I assure you, I would not.” He glances meaningfully at my cards.
He’s so matter-of-fact that his voice leaves no room for argument. I quickly put a card down, then fidget with the ones I have remaining. “Do you … do you think the cerebral palsy will be an issue?”
“Do you believe it will be an issue, my lady?”
“Don’t do that. Don’t turn it back on me.”
He plays another card. “While your weakness may be a disadvantage in some ways, it is an advantage in others. One I think you could use to your benefit.”
That’s a pretty frank assessment. I’m not sure I mind. “How?”
“It is easy to underestimate you.” He pauses, his gaze never leaving mine. “I know I did. I believe Grey did, too.”
I’m blushing again. I sift through my remaining cards and draw. “Why do you want Freya to be my lady-in-waiting?”
“Because I believe she will be loyal, and we will need people we can trust.” He waits for me to lay down a card, then matches it with one of his own. He only has three cards left. “Silvermoon Harbor is the closest major city. They once had a winter marketplace that drew merchants from all over Emberfall. We will ask the innkeeper if the market still stands. If so, that should be our first outing.”
“What does Grey think of all this?”
“He believes it is a plan fraught with unnecessary risk, but I have no better ideas.” He gives a humorless laugh. “If Silvermoon Harbor is as densely populated as it once was, he will certainly have his work cut out for him.”
Well, that’s super reassuring. I stop deliberating and lay down a four of hearts. I have no idea what suit he’s got in his hand, but no matter what I play, I figure I’ve got a seventy-five percent chance of forcing him to draw. “So what’s our next move?”
“We go downstairs. We join them for dinner. We discuss Karis Luran and share a bit of our intent.”
I wet my lips. “And what if Lady Lilith shows up tomorrow and agrees to take me home?”
“Then you return home, my lady.” He pauses. “And I will say you were called back to Disi to make arrangements to lead your father’s army.”
He really does think of everything. “Do you seriously believe this will work?”
“In matters of the heart, I am clearly hopeless.” He puts down his final card—a prince. A wild card.
I stare at him, stunned. It didn’t matter what I played. He would have won anyway.
“In matters of strategy,” he finishes, “I am not.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
RHEN
Darkness has fallen, and along with it, a hushed quiet has overtaken the inn. Freya has put her children to bed, and Evalyn is tidying the kitchen. Harper has curled into the chair by the hearth, a stein of tea balanced in her hands. Her eyes are tired, but there is a certain beauty to her expression. Maybe it’s the way the firelight paints silver in her hair or makes her eyes gleam. Or maybe it’s the fact that some of her exhaustion was earned on behalf of defending my people.
She finally trusts me—and just as clearly wants nothing to do with me.
“Grey’s outside,” she says quietly. “Did you order him out there?”
“No,” I say. “He worries they may attempt to take the inn during the night. I trust his judgment.”
She glances at the door and hunches down in the chair.
I study her. “Are you frightened?”
“A little.”
“You should be more worried about Lady Lilith. Grey can do nothing to stop her.”
“I haven’t done anything to her. I don’t have a part in this curse. I just want to go home.”
I want to beg her to reconsider. She knows not what she asks, but she is too suspicious of my motives. I worry that warnings will sound like a trap to keep her here, and I much prefer this path of trust we’ve found.
“You must be worried, too,” Harper says. “You brought your arrows down here.”
My bow sits at my feet. “Not worried. Prepared. They will not be able to take Grey by surprise. He knows how to keep himself hidden.”
She does not look reassured. “He’s one man.”
“Do not underestimate him, my lady.”
“You didn’t mention something in all your plotting.”
My eyes narrow. “What is that?”
“The … the monster.”
My eyes shy from hers. “My people have nothing to fear from the creature now. It will not reappear until later in the season.”
Coale approaches from the kitchen. His voice is low. “Your Highness. Will you need anything else this evening?”
I begin to decline, then change my mind. “Innkeeper, I was wondering if the princess and I could bring you into our confidence.”
Harper’s eyes do not leave the fire, but I know she is listening. She’s so perfect for this role.