Page 19 of A Thieving Curse

The heaped root vegetables and red meat on the plates looked inviting, but her appetite faltered at the thought of sitting so close to the dragon-man. She would rather go hungry than be that close if he started breathing fire again.

Before she could lose her nerve, she grabbed the chair next to the one Jasper had pulled out, moved it to the end opposite the monster, and sat down. The beast worked his jaw. Then he slumped back and waved his hand. “Fine.”

Jasper pushed the empty chair back in and moved the loaded plate along with a pewter goblet and utensils down in front of her. He withdrew into the shadows but didn’t leave.

Raelyn picked up the fork and knife, wondering if she could smuggle the steak knife to her room. Questions burned on her tongue, but she forced herself to eat a few bites before asking anything that might raise her captor’s ire. Besides, she would need her strength.

The vegetables and venison were surprisingly tender and flavorful. Either she was starved, or the dragon-man had refined tastes. Either way, the good food and the monster’s calm silence put her more at ease. Feeling more confident, she spoke up.

“How long have I been here?”

“A day,” he said between bites of food.

A day. I slept for an entire day.She gripped the fork and knife. Would her family still be looking for her? Were they even all right?Surely the knights killed the manticore. Maybe Gareth landed the finishing blow. He’d like that.

“Why didn’t you just take me to the pass?”

The dragon-man lowered his fork and cocked his head. “Why would I have done that? I never go near the pass. I found you far from there, alone, unconscious, and bleeding. So I took you where I knew I could get help.”

“Help?” She hadn’t meant to say it aloud, but she’d been too busy thinking about escaping to consider he thought he washelping.Someone had bandaged her ankle, after all, and put her in a bed… She hoped it wasn’t the dragon-man. But there were three empty chairs, and she vaguely recalled hearing other voices in her semi-conscious delirium. Including…a woman?

“How shocking that amonsterwould give you aid.” His eyes flashed before he stabbed his fork into a piece of venison.

“Tone, Alexander,” Jasper murmured from the shadows. “And the thing we discussed…”

The demon slouched a little, then cleared his throat. “I’m sorry for grabbing you. And for frightening you. Is your arm all right?”

Raelyn lifted her gaze up. He watched her, his lips pursed as if he cared. She felt her arm; it seemed fine. “Yes.”

“Good. Good.” He tapped his finger on his goblet, his clawclick, click, clickingagainst the pewter. “You’re engaged to the crown prince.”

She lowered her fork, panic squeezing her. That topic had angered him earlier. Why did he care? “Yes.”

“Do you want to marry him?”

The question caught her by surprise. The dragon-man watched her with his goblet held aloft, his elbow resting on the arm of his chair. A small patch of red-black scales glinted near his left ear. Firelight caught in the red of his irises, making her unsure if they were glowing. She looked away.

“Of course.”

“Why? Have you met him?”

A tremor shook her hand as she took a drink. She set the goblet down carefully and clasped her hands in her lap. “No, I haven’t. But I’ve heard he is brave, capable, and handsome.”

“Let’s not forgethandsome.” The derision in his voice made her face heat.

“Marrying him will help keep the peace between Eynlae and Rethalyon,” Raelyn shot back. “That’s the only thing I care about.” She bit her tongue. If the dragon-man truly had a human side, maybe she could try appealing to his humanity. “Please understand. This marriage is required by a treaty that allows my people to use the trade routes through Rethalyon to the sea.” A simple thing, when said like that, but it wasn’t simple at all.

Rethalyon controlled the most direct routes from Eynlae to the sea—the pass and the Azerlan river. Without access to them, the cost of importing steel from Lehechiv, dyes from Mesti, and grain, olive oil, wine, and other goods was staggering, and Eynlae struggled to sell their wool, cotton, granite, and other products. In the past, skirmishes between Eynlaean traders and Rethalis had been common, and a few times had escalated into wars that nearly destroyed both kingdoms.

“For a modest levy,” Raelyn said slowly, “the treaty allows passage to Eynlaean trading vessels and caravans and grants Eynlae a seaport. With the open trade, my father’s kingdom—my people—are prospering. But the treaty stipulates I must marry the crown prince of Rethalyon. Uniting our kingdoms in blood could forestall future wars.”

Father suspected other reasons. King Henry wasn’t royal—just the late queen’s brother, crowned for his heroism in revealing the prince’s monstrous nature and slaying him before the planned coronation. Father thought Henry hoped the marriage would make his line more legitimate. Henry wouldn’t be pleased when she didn’t appear.

A knot formed in her chest. “My entire life has prepared me to be queen of Rethalyon, to keep peace and ensure my people are not isolated.” She met his eyes. “Please, you have to let me go.”

The beast watched her silently. She managed not to look away, despite the perspiration running down her back. He set down his goblet. “I can’t do that.”

She released a shaky breath. “My family…they’ll be worried. They might think I’m dead. That’s not fair, and it leaves my father trying to salvage a treaty he can no longer fulfill.”

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