Page 44 of His Noble Savior

They met half an hour later in the castle’s grand drawing room. It was a less intimate setting than Richard’s private chambers, and the proper place to receive official guests and negotiate alliances.

A statue of a woman on a horse, spear raised, stood tall on the enormous stone mantelpiece. She was Richard’s great-grandmother, the first Baroness of Somerdale. On the far wall hung the family sword, a polished, razor-sharp weapon with a jewel-encrusted hilt.

Richard wore a track into the carpet as he paced betweenbulky chairs and divans. How was Bellerose going to react to his request?

He raised his eyes and begged the Lady to show him a way out, but all he saw was the paneled ceiling. Richard sighed and resumed his back and forth. Light streamed through the windows, blinding him each time he passed them.

Princess Bellerose didn’t knock when she entered. Clad in a delicate pink dress, blossoms sewn into her skirt, she clashed horribly with the room’s rustic interior.

“You have my gratitude for seeing me,” Richard said and gestured toward the upholstered chairs to invite her to sit, but Bellerose remained standing. “Last night, orcs raided a town in the south of my barony and took several young men. As I’m anticipating more of these incidents, I’d like to negotiate the deployment of spring fae knights.”

If Bellerose was taken aback by how fast he cut to business, she didn’t show it. “We can negotiate the number of knights to be put at your disposal after our wedding.”

“I’ll need them sooner than that. As in today.”

“If you’re in a hurry, I suggest we discuss the terms of the wedding now and set a date for the earliest possible time. Assigning knights to you before we’re married is out of the question. The Autumn Court didn’t send knights either until Henry of Stagfield was married to King Malorn.”

Richard blew out air, running a hand through his curls. “Is there anything I can offer you before the wedding that’d sway you? Our arrangement doesn’t have to mirror that of House Aranin and the Autumn Court.”

Bellerose huffed and took a step toward Richard, her long skirt dragging over the old carpet. “That arrangement is the reason why you and I are talking in the first place. Both the Autumn Court and the elves are marrying into House Aranin. I would’ve sought to marry Lady Cordelia Aranin, but she’svery young. I also hear she’s been rejecting all advances. She’s married to her sword, they say.”

“I give you my word to uphold by any terms we negotiate if you liberate knights for me now.”

“Your word?” Bellerose shook her head, taking another step toward Richard, backing him into a corner. “Your word is worthless, human. Unlike me, you aren’t bound by your promises. You could lie from dawn to dusk if you wanted to. No. I want our marriage in place and your castle incorporated into the Spring Court before I protect your family and delegate knights.”

“People are going to die if I don’t station more knights in my towns, if I don’t send an army’s worth of them to the front.”

“Then I suggest you start preparing the wedding.”

Chapter Sixteen

Lilian

Lilian couldn’t help eavesdropping on Richard’s conversation with Bellerose. He’d watched from behind an ajar door how Bellerose made her way to the drawing room. As soon as she’d disappeared inside, he’d tiptoed after her and listened to their exchange.

Lilian had known there was no love between them, but the cold and calculated way they spoke to each other revealed how unhappy Richard would be with her. It wasn’t smart to tie one’s soul to somebody one didn’t like.

Lilian was in almost physical pain at the five yards between him and Richard. It didn’t matter. With last night’s developments in Ellesmere, Richard had all the more reason to marry the princess. He needed those knights. Lives depended on it. He couldn’t afford to say no to Bellerose. With a bit of time, he might come to like her. She was beautiful, rich and influential—everything Lilian wasn’t. He was nobody, a lesser fae who’d been tarnished by orcs. Bellerose possessed all the things Lilian would never have—including Richard’s hand in marriage.

Their wedding was going to be a cold formality. Itwouldhappen; Lilian was under no illusion. The political cost of not going through with it was prohibitive.

Lilian’s shoulders sagged. He had no future at Somerdale Castle. In a few weeks, the only thing that’d bind him to Richard was a mountain of debt. If Lilian returned to the Spring Court, he could create beautiful pottery to gift Richard for his wedding.It’d take a lot of vases and plates to repay him, but Lilian had to start somewhere.

He better get used to being without Richard. This was the right time—Richard was engrossed in negotiations with his future bride, and Lilian didn’t want to listen anymore.

Dejected, he trudged down the central staircase. With Richard otherwise occupied, Lilian would go for a quick walk around the castle perimeter. He wouldn’t go far, but he had to take the first steps in doing things alone. And thus, he controlled the tremors threatening to descend on him as he put distance between himself and Richard.

It was a bright morning. The sun kissed his face as he stepped into the inner courtyard. He crossed the drawbridge and followed the path to the outer gate. The knights let him through, and when the heavy gate closed, Lilian was alone.

Strangely, he wasn’t afraid, just a bit shaky. Being with Richard had revived his confidence. Nothing would happen to him this close to the castle.

Lilian smiled as he descended the hill, butterflies swirling through the air, the greenery beneath his feet wet with dew. At the bottom of the hill, the grass gave way to a loosely forested area. A bee buzzed past him as he stepped into the shade. Everywhere smelled of fresh earth and new beginnings.

Lilian threw a glance at the castle. Behind one of those windows, Richard was negotiating with Bellerose. Lilian hoped he could work out favorable terms.

He descended further into the trees when a branch snapped behind him. Lilian tore around, eyes flitting from side to side. Where had the noise come from?

A shiver raced down his back. Memories of his captivity flashed before his inner eye. The pain. The fear. The blood. Lilian shook. His senses registered the smallest gust of air. His heart pounded in his ears, but that didn’t drown out the softrustling of leaves.

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