Page 70 of Of Brides Of Queens

“He would forgo the element of surprise?”

“He prefers the element of fearful anticipation—only when not in a rage, you understand? He would inform you of the time and night. He would pay for intel from King Take of your preparations. He likes to utilize the skills of others.”

With the way his staircases could explode in any location, I would have thought he would capitalize on the advantage of surprise. I had more of his reason now, but there was more to uncover still.

The princess was deep in thought.

I watched her reflection for a time, marveling in all she could convey while faceless. “Princess, I am torn. King Raise was very distraught before dawn. Only you and he know how your union is warped, but I do not feel comfortable in the middle of painfilled hearts. I must inform you that this is our second meeting, and so you have only one more before our bargain is done.”

The princess sat. “You said I could stay here.”

“I did not state for how long, and you did not bargain for a timeframe.”

She burst to her feet and paced. Anger rippled from her, but she faced me. “You are correct. I did not. A capture attempt and confinement had weakened my bargaining muscles.”

“You love your king. He loves you. I am not cold enough to stand in the way of this. I cannot see that anything is warped.”

“You are strong enough to withstand him,” she said, and her lack of acknowledgment of the rest suggested that my other observations were unwelcome.

Was I strong enough? No. I could not protect myself from a king’s direct attack. Not yet. “Forgive my lack of clarity,” I said. “I could let you stay here, but you are using me as a shield when this is a battle to fight yourself.”

Her chest heaved. All day she had remained awake, and not a crease in her suit could be seen. A skill indeed.

“I cannot be locked away so soon. I am weak with the need to live, though I wish I could do without it for his sake.”

“Then he must be convinced away from the amendment. Or you must sign.”

“I cannot sign. He must believe in the amendment,” she cried.

This was befuddling, and I did not wish to upset her again. “Princess Raise, what would youlike to do?”

“I would like to stay here until I choose to leave.” Her exhale shook.

“Is this a new sentiment? Did you only feel this when you met me?”

This could be a stirring of new purpose due to my presence.

She shook her head. “I have longed for another place to be where I could not be locked away. One never existed before you came into queendom.”

The princess did not feel new stirrings of purpose in my presence. She did not fit the pattern of my obsession as experienced with Princess Bring, so maybe I was mistaken inthe pattern. But… this princess could refuse a king. “You are a princess of purpose.”

She jerked. Violently.

What had she heard in my words to startle her? I came up empty on this front, but as it was, I now understood King Raise’s rhythm and somewhat of his reason. The third meeting with this princess might prove enough to understand everything.

Then I needed only one thing from her, though here was a female monster that could make me laugh. We might be friends, her and I. “Princess Raise, what you ask of me does not feel right. I do not wish to get between love.”

“Name your price.”

“Perhaps there is no price.”

“Everything has a price,” she said harshly.

“Even the love you hold for your king?”

“Especially that.” She faced my mirror.

I watched her, struggling to push down the intensity of my emotions. She could not guess at the strength of my desperation. “If I were to do something that did not feel right, then it would cost the same from you.”

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