Page 50 of Betraying Korth

“We talked about this before. Unconditional loving is what all married couples should do.”

I chewed my tongue. “The only unconditional love I’ve ever seen is that of a parent for a child. Even murderers and thieves have parents who still love them, even if they are disappointed in their actions.”

“Anyone canchooseto love unconditionally.”

“Would you love me even if I weren’t a princess?” I asked, trying to keep my tone light and playful.

Korth laughed. “A question that’s inconsequential, given that you are.”

“But what if?”

Grinning from ear to ear, Korth responded, “Of course. Would you still love me if I were a farmer?”

“Naturally. You would be a very handsome farmer. What if I was…” I bit my lip. “A spy?”

“It would be easy for you to coax all my secrets from me, then, wouldn’t it?”

His words fell like nails in the coffin of my conscience, and I swallowed my response like a bitter medicine. Love made my deceit a consuming, agonizing burden I wasn’t strong enough to carry on my own anymore.

Korth rubbed his thumb in distracting circles on my palm. “My love for you has no conditions.”

Godfrey trailed behind us, watching us with those baleful eyes. As we crossed the topmost crest of a bridge that spanned the small stream leading to the lake, Korth silently raised my hand and pressed his lips against the back of my knuckles. We exchanged conspiratorial looks, relishing the fact that Godfrey had no way of knowing the tradition Korth and I now shared.

I would never be able to look at another bridge again once I left Haven Harbor. Could I tell Korth? Was his love for me strong enough to overcome anything else?

“Korth, I wanted to tell you?—”

“Your Highness!” A servant hurried toward us. “The tariff master wishes to see you. He says that the trade negotiation you arranged with Berkway doesn’t match the documents from one of the merchant vessels that came into port today.”

“Sorry,” Korth told me regretfully. “Duty calls.” Before he left, he pulled out a pocketknife, cut off the largest of the rose blooms from the nearby rosebush, and offered it to me. After I took it, he began to lean toward me. Godfrey frowned and shook his head, so Korth changed direction and bent to kiss my hand that wasn’t holding the rose. “I’ll see you later; we’ll talk then.”

He pivoted and left, trailed by his manservant, who looked immensely relieved that he hadn’t needed to run interference on any shows of physical affection. I continued to stroll through the gardens, thinking hard. Unless something changed, our wedding would take place in a few days. I would be Korth’s wife. I repeated it again in my mind, reveling in the phrase. Korth’swife…

If only I could be honest with him. I wanted to, but honesty would lead to certain death, or at the very least, imprisonment. I traced my finger over the rose Korth had given me, reveling in its fragrance and velvety softness. Time was running out. When would we receive word about the rebellion?

“Hey.” Curdy’s harsh voice intruded on my thoughts as he turned a corner. Dark bags under his eyes showed just how sleep deprived he’d become, and the ripe smell of goose droppings lingered about his person. Particularly around waist level and below, his clothing was frayed, as if the geese never lost an opportunity to peck at him, and the blondness of his hair was nearly hidden in all the dirt that was layered on his body.

“Is Garrik with your sister?”

“Yes.Heis doinghisjob.” The pointed inflection made me look up in surprise. Curdy’s posture was stiffer than normal, and his face had soured into an ugly expression.

“And I’m glad of it. How is, you know,shedoing? Behaving herself?”

Curdy cracked his knuckles with unnecessary force and ground his teeth together as he worked his jaw back and forth. I watched him curiously. What was he so agitated about?

“It’s fine. No trouble. How is it going with the prince?”

“Perfectly,” I answered, still tracking how Curdy’s feet pounded the dirt back and forth and his fists flexed and unflexed repeatedly. “Thank you for being there at the masquerade. You didn’t get hurt, did you?”

Curdy’s face reddened. “You said before thathewould protect you. Guess you were wrong about that.”

“We were caught unaware.”

“Because he’s an entitled royal,” Curdy spat. “Then when I protected you, that still wasn’t good enough.”

“I said thank you, and Idoappreciate what you did. It’s not like I can shower you with gifts of thanks when I have a cover to maintain.”

“I should’ve let him get robbed.” Curdy’s eyes darkened as he glanced down at the rose I held, and the vein in his neck bulged. “He deserves it.”

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