“You took that blow for me.” If she had hit the rock, it would have killed her. She scanned his face as he straightened and took a seat on the low simple stool. “Thank you, Arun.”
“That’s not my name.”
Lia frowned, fingers sinking into what felt like woolen covers. “What do you mean?” The king, Flyka, and Olwen, had called him Arun. “Of course it is.”
Unless it was a nickname?
He placed his hands on his knees and leaned his angular jaw on one hand. “I have something to admit to you, my lady.”
My lady. If he was using an honorific, it must be bad.
“Our people have been enemies for centuries. When I wrote to your parents, I was shocked when they replied so quickly.”
That’s because they’re greedy.Lia kept that thought to herself. And he wrote to Allium? Was he some sort of scribe too?
He straightened and rolled his neck, his blue-black hair shining in the light from the lone window. “While a peace treaty between our kingdoms was the goal, I didn’t trust the Asteran monarchy.”
She blinked at him.
He waited as if she would defend the king and queen.
“That is very wise. A few traded goods and a piece of inked paper does not make a friendship. It is always wise to be cautious but innocent,” she admitted.
The giant cocked his head. “My thoughts exactly. Which led to my deception.”
Her stomach sank and her mind raced through possible scenarios. Had he discovered the truth? Or had the treaty hidden some sinister agenda?
They’re going to torture me for information I don’t have.
They plan on holding me for a ransom they won’t get.
They will kill…
“Loriia needs to be protected at all costs. The king is the kingdom.”
“Every kingdom needs to be protected,” she drawled. What was he getting at?
Arun looked her straight in the eye. “I am the king.”
She stared at him, before bursting into laughter, which led to another round of painful coughing. Once she’d managed to curb the fit, she wiped her watering eyes. Lia flinched at the seriousness on his indigo face. A sinking feeling rose in her gut.
“I don’t understand, Arun…”
“Arun is my mother’s clan name.” He straightened on the stool, holding his chin high. “My name is Neve Arun Winterborne, King of Loriia, Blade of the Frost Throne. Thevallospretending to be me is my cousin Eyri.”
Lia swallowed hard, not believing her ears. Just what sort of game was he playing?
You can beat him. You’ve dealt with the Giver.
She took a moment to really study him.
He’d always seemed more proud and edgy than the rest of the delegation. Chafing even at using her fake honorific. Each time she tried to put distance between them and put him in his place, he came back more willful.
If what he said was true, the Asteran monarchs expected her to spy onthisgiant? To cause upheaval inhiscourt? To killhim?
You’ll never get close. He’ll kill you first.
“Why tell me this now?” she whispered, her tongue sticking to the roof of her mouth. She fiddled with the emerald ring still blessedly on her finger. “You know I’ll be returning to my family once my stint among your court is over. This information will start a war. Why tell me?” It didn’t make sense.