Page 41 of The Twisted Throne

She closed her hand over his fingers, allowing him to draw her out of the carriage, everyone silent as her boots hit the smooth white stones of the sprawling courtyard. Ahnna bowed, keeping her eyes on Edward’s polished boots once she’d straightened.

Everyone was silent, and her heart skittered as she realized that there were at least a hundred courtiers in the space, all dressed in uniforms or finery, the jewels glittering in the sun a jaw-dropping display of wealth. All staring at her with undisguised interest.

And judgment.

King Edward cleared his throat. “Long has Ithicana been a strong and true ally of Harendell, and we welcome Princess Ahnna and her escort with all our heart. We invite you to treat our home as your own, and to celebrate your arrival, we will dine tonight with our dear friends and family in a private banquet to honor both Ahnna and the great nation of her birth.”

Ahnna inclined her head, repeating words she’d memorized a lifetime ago. “I thank you for your hospitality and gracious welcome, Your Grace.”

Edward gave her a grave nod, then turned, Queen Alexandra taking his arm as they walked inside the palace, trumpets blaring in triumph that echoed between the walls surrounding them, then up to the minarets that touched the clouds. A pretty young woman with light-brown hair the same color as the queen’s followed at their heels, the cane in her hand tapping lightly along the floor, the diamonds in her tiara glittering as she walked alone—undoubtedly Princess Virginia.

Is William not here?

“Your Highness,” James said, offering his arm.

Ahnna took it, her fingers pressing against the hard muscle of his forearm as she discreetly scoured the faces of those she passed,searching for one that might belong to the man she was supposed to wed.

“He’s not here. Look straight forward and smile,” James said softly. “The sharks are circling.”

Ahnna jerked her face forward, plastering on a smile even as her mind raced. Why wasn’t William here? What did that mean?

Had he learned what she and James had done?

No. No, if they’d been seen, she wouldn’t be here now.

They walked up the steps and into the palace, only a lifetime of training pulling Ahnna away from her thoughts enough to notice the thickness of the oak doors they walked through, the murder holes they walked beneath, and the watchfulness of the heavily armed guards who flanked it. Even having a palace in the sky was clearly not enough to render it safe.

White stone gave way to thick carpet, their boots making soft thuds as they walked down a high-ceilinged hall, the stone walls decorated with countless portraits of unsmiling Harendellians in elaborate attire, their eyes all seeming to watch her. To judge her.

They reached a set of open twin doors framed by grim guards holding spears, and James steered her inside, Bronwyn and Taryn following. A servant shut the doors behind them, and Ahnna took in the space, which she suspected was what the Harendellians referred to as a drawing room.

The room was as high-ceilinged as the hallway. The wall opposite the door held floor-to-ceiling windows with an incredible view of the southern end of the valley, the blue drapes that framed them made of velvet so thick it would obscure even the brightest of the sun’s rays. To her left was a fireplace big enough for her to walk inside, the mantel made of carved marble with blue veins that matched the curtains, a low fire burning against the faint chill in the air. None of the furniture matched, all made of differentpolished woods and rich brocades, but rather than making the room appear haphazard, it made Ahnna feel as though she’d stepped into the space of a collector with exquisite taste.

And even more gold.

Edward and Alexandra, as well as Virginia, waited for them in the room, along with several guards and even more servants, all standing dour-faced with their backs against the walls. Alexandra’s tiara caught the light, the enormous diamonds glittering like stars, but it was the symbol of the faithful hanging from her neck that stole Ahnna’s attention. A circle with a spiral weaving inward to surround a yellow diamond the size of a pigeon egg. The icon was familiar to Ahnna, for it represented the path through life to the Great Thereafter, all goodness drawn to the glow of divinity. She’d never seen it worn as jewelry, though that might be because Ithicanians wore little jewelry at all. It did confirm what she’d been told, which was that the queen was deeply committed to the faith.

The doors shut behind Ahnna, and the bland expression on Edward’s face was immediately replaced with a grin. Reaching up, he pulled off his crown and tossed it on one of the plush chairs. “Ahnna,” he said, approaching and taking her hands. “It is my pleasure to finally reunite with my co-conspirator against Silas!” He laughed and squeezed her hands. “We were more than a little disgruntled not to find the Maridrinians in full force at Northwatch. Led the attack myself. Most fun I’ve had in years, though it was over far too swiftly.”

“We did not know you were there yourself, Your Grace.” She wasn’t certain whether to bow, given that he had her firmly by the hands, his gray eyes locked on hers. Though he was in his sixties, there was no denying that he’d been an incredibly handsome man in his prime, his mid-brown hair now laced with gray, and his eyesframed with wrinkles. Again, she was struck by how much James resembled him, though Edward was not nearly as tall or broad.

“I was incognito during the battle,” Edward said, letting go of one of her hands to touch the side of his nose. “It’s the only way I get to do anything fun.”

Despite her anxiety, it was impossible not to be infected by his grin, and she smiled. “Ithicana thanks you for your allyship, Your Grace. It will never be forgotten.”

“You will call me Eddie when we are among family,” he said. “For we are family now, yes? Or close enough to it, assuming Will doesn’t get lost in a wine hall on the way to the wedding. The little shit will miss his own funeral, a corpse puppet hauled about by the fools he calls friends so that they might drink on his credit.”

Ahnna blinked, even as the queen snapped, “Edward!”

“What?” he demanded, looking over his shoulder at Alexandra. “He is willfully embarrassing us with his behavior, and Ahnna deserves to know the sort of man she’s about to be saddled with. Thank God Ithicana has delivered us a woman with strength and character, else Harendell would be destined for a string of useless kings who spend the people’s gold on wine and whores.”

The queen’s mouth drew into such a tight line that it all but disappeared. “If you would show him but a little kindness—”

“Kindness?” Edward’s grip on Ahnna’s hand tightened almost painfully. “Alex, it is your excess of kindness that has turned our son into the drunken barnacle that he is. Five years of hard duty on the border fighting Amaridians where no one cares about his blood, only about his rank and skill with a blade, would do his character a world of good. Turn him into a man rather than a boy who suckles the golden tit of privilege every goddamned day of his life.”

Ahnna bit the insides of her cheeks, barely able to process the information that had just been poured into her ears, much less think of anything appropriate to say, silence seeming the most prudent course of action.

“He is the heir.” Alexandra hissed, clutching at the pendant resting against her chest as though it gave her strength. “The heir is to be protected!”

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