Page 42 of A Frozen Pyre
She considered the truth of his words.
She knew in her bones that Ceneth’s love for Caris was true. He would have brought her the head of every man, woman, and child from every corner of the continent if she’d asked—a gruesome, ridiculous thing to imagine, true as it may be. But with Caris dead? Would Ceneth feel any obligation to send aid to Farehold if Tarkhany invaded their land?She considered the possibilities. It occurred to her that even if Tarkhany had marched on Aubade with Caris as his bride, she may have asked him to stand down in favor of peace talks. No, there was certainly some veracity to Eero’s fears. As it stood, Farehold could not count on Raascot as an ally in the event of war.
She opened her mouth to ask whether or not she should care, then snapped it shut.
“From what I know of Onain,” Samael said calmly, “she’d advise against him meeting anyone in all-out war.”
“Onain?” Ophir prodded. “The woman who advises Ceneth?”
“My twin sister,” Samael shared, as casually as if he’d been speaking of the weather.
The entire table turned its attention to Samael. Pairs of eyes widened, postures stiffened, and breathing stilled as they regarded the quiet fae.
“Your sister is Ceneth’s advisor?” Eero clarified with quiet urgency, face painted with both shock and displeasure.
Samael’s face remained neutral as he said, “I think you can trust my judgment enough to believe me when I say that I share what’s relevant and withhold that which would openly distract or be disruptive. As siblings, we were born with shared gifts. The blessing of preternatural discernment is not allowing blood to cloud decisions. I can tell you with some confidence that neither she nor I would advise any monarch to meet a kingdom in open war. And if I were her, I would advise Ceneth to stand down. Now, if Tarkhany is at his door, his hand may be forced.”
Eero’s eyes narrowed. With thinly veiled hostility, he asked, “Am I to be wary that your twin is advising a potential enemy in the kingdom you call home?”
“An enemy?” Ophir blanched. “I know you wouldn’t have deemed him such in Caris’s presence, and he’s done nothing to gain your mistrust. In fact, he may be the only honorable man in this castle.”
Eero’s fist-banging, red-faced outrage was interrupted by his advisor.
Unperturbed as ever, Samael said, “It would be unwise to draw a correlation where one does not exist. Neither Onain nor I call this kingdom home. We’ve sworn separate fealties and duties to advise, not to sway with an agenda. Might I suggest we stick to facts and not project mistrust upon our allies?”
Ophir found the tie interesting, if irrelevant. She was fine leaving, but not with her father leading with his temper. The meeting wouldn’t fall to distractions while she was present.
Intent to get them back on track, she asked, “Would you go to war with Tarkhany?”
“Absolutely not,” Samael said. “Sometimes, however, war comes to us. It’s wise to be prepared.”
Cybele grabbed her hand again, squeezing it gently.
Ophir flinched at the unexpected contact. This time, she openly grimaced at the woman as she shook free of the unwanted contact.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Cybele apologized. “I’m prone to touch as my language of comfort, whether I realize it or not.”
“Cybele came with a wedding present,” Eero said. Perhaps the news of Samael and his sister was too much for the king to handle at one dinner. She kept her eyes on Samael for a moment, though he remained unbothered.
She scowled at her father in response, but he jutted his chin toward the woman who sat beside her, insisting upon the present.
Cybele procured two small boxes. She slipped her fingernail into the crack of one and popped it open to reveal the treasure within. She gazed upon the oval-cut ruby with glassy white diamonds set on a gold band.
“That one’s yours, dear. Take a peek at Ceneth’s.”
Ophir opened the second box. The masculine band was adorned with a sapphire, two black diamonds flanking it.
“I had them made with a manufacturer,” Cybele said, voice sugar-sweet in an obnoxious attempt at being soothing. “They’re excellent tools for connection between husband and wife. These rings help to strengthen bonds.”
Ophir turned her skeptical frown to her father.
He said, “Your sister desired unity, correct? This ring will help you be more like her. After the wedding, your rings will help join your will. That being said, if you need an ally, he’ll be compelled to oblige.”
Ophir blanched at the gift. She shoved back from the table, head ringing. “You want me to not only marry this shattered man, but to—what—brainwash him?”
“Ophir, sit down,” her father said. “This is a marvelous gift.”
“This isn’t how Caris wanted it,” Ophir said. She took a step back. “You’re bastardizing her dream.”
