Page 129 of Poisoned Kingdom
‘That bloody bastard thinks he can blackmail me?’ he growled, slamming the letter down on the table. ‘Not bloody likely.’ He stormed to the door, yanked it open, and barked at the guard outside. ‘Bring me my scribe. Now!’
I knew I shouldn’t have, but my curiosity overcame politeness. If Tivala was using Lily as a bargaining chip, I needed to know. I picked up the vellum. The letter was heavily embellished, more like an invitation than a threat, and as I looked at the ornate handwriting, my mouth dropped open, unsure if I was reading it right.
To His Majesty Reynard Varec Erenhart, War King of Dagome,
I trust this missive finds you in good health. I write to inquire as to the timing of the betrothal announcement between yourself and my daughter, Lady Inga Oresta Tivala. I thank you for the timely delivery of the signed and sealed marriage contract, and I look forward to an equally swift public declaration. If you find, as monarch, that the plethora of distractions causes too long a delay, I would be honoured to assist you in removing them.
Your ever . . .
‘What?’ I shook my head, my thoughts a jumbled mess. I looked from the letter to Reynard, then and back again, trying to make sense of it.
The letter was dated two days before the kidnapping attempt at my home.
Tivala’s attack on my home, I could understand. Butthis—a whole betrothal? Worse . . . Rey didn’t even look surprised.
My chest tightened, threatening to rob me of breath. Reynard rushed over, arms outstretched, but I took a step back.
‘Were they all lies? Just pretty platitudes to get me to open my legs?’ My voice sounded hollow even to my own ears. ‘I know you need a queen, I’m not stupid. But if you were already planning to marry someone, why sleep with me? Was I meant to be your last little tumble before settling down? Or’—my voice broke—‘should I expect an offer to be your dirty little secret?’
‘I didn’t plan anything,’ he said quickly, voice rough. ‘Please—let me explain.’
‘Explain?’ I snapped. ‘What, did you accidentally fall on the quill and sign your name before sneezing your seal onto the marriage contract?’
I clenched my jaw, squeezing my eyes shut so he couldn’t see how close I was to breaking. I knew this interlude would have ended eventually, but why did he bother pretending to care?
‘Roksana,’ Riordan cut in gently, ‘I can confirm Rey never wanted to marry another woman.’
His voice startled me—I’d forgotten he was still here. Heat flared in my cheeks. Having an audience for my humiliation made it worse.
‘Leave us, Ri,’ Reynard said without looking at him. ‘Please.’
The moment the door shut, Rey knelt before me.
‘This happened because of my complacency,’ he began. ‘Ruling Dagome has always been a balancing act. On one side, the people. The other, the nobles. And Tivala . . . well, that bastard’sthe worst of them.’ He exhaled sharply. ‘He sent a proposal months ago. A contract promising his support for my reforms—ifI married his daughter. It was . . . politically sound. So I signed it.’
My jaw tightened.
‘But that was before I knew you,’ he said. ‘And even then, something about it felt off. So I locked it away. I should’ve burned it the day you walked into my life.’ His voice broke slightly. ‘But idiot that I am, I didn’t. I forgot. The gods as my witness, I forgot.’
He bowed his head, dragging both hands through his dark hair, frustration radiating off him in waves.
‘I’m not asking you to believe me without proof,’ he added. ‘That’s why I called for my scribe.’
He rose to his feet slowly, reaching out—but I took another step back, pretending not to see the desperation in his eyes.
‘Sana, look at me.’
His voice held weight, the kind that demanded to be heard. Against my better judgement, I met his gaze.
‘The night you came into my room,’ he said quietly, ‘and told me that wild story about a woman on the run who had made a mistake and blinded me, but never wanted to hurt me . . . It sounded so farfetched. But even then—even then—some part of me believed you.’
His voice softened to a whisper. ‘Isn’t there any part ofyouthat believesme?’
‘There is, but . . .’
I was suddenly engulfed in Rey’s embrace. I bit my lip, desperate to hold back my tears.
‘Then please,’ he murmured, his voice raw, ‘give me a chance to find out what happened and fix it.’ He held me so tightly, it felt like he was scared I’d disappear into thin air.
