Page 175 of Prize for the King
At least, not yet. Not until everyone’s tempers cool enough to think.
It takes Khay ten minutes to compose himself. He sits numbly on the floor, looking at the hair he’s torn out with dull, thoughtless eyes.Magnar gets up, bids Raduna to watch him, and takes my hand.
“What do I do, Caliane?” he asks in a quiet, restrained voice.
I suck in a breath that cannot quench my guilt and hopelessness, because the only plan I have is weak and leaves agency in the hands of other people. Khay and Magnar will hate it.
“You wait. Until Arvi comes back and we know who the owner is. If they can’t be reasoned with, we should pretend to leave. Gather everyone, thank Sidonius for his hospitality, inform the kings you won’t share with them. And ride out. Let the gates close behind you. Keep going until they send a messenger to bring you back.”
His eyes are hollow, face devoid of expression.
“What if they don’t? What if we can’t go back ever again? What if they slaughter our women? What if they hang them from the walls to spite me? What if they send out soldiers to kill us all? Caliane, what the fuck have I done, bringing us here? Bringing you? Our baby? What the fuck have I done?”
He turns away, his shoulders shaking, and I press myself to his back, wrapping my arms around him, but it’s no use. He’s shut off, locked in a cage of his guilt and terror, and I have no way to reach him. I physically can’t if he doesn’t help me, and Magnar seems to have forgotten I’m here.
“None of this is going to happen,” I say, hoping against hope he’ll hear me.
“You are the king of Farneer, I am your queen, and the baby is your heir. No ruler of the Eleven will attack us, because they would break the oldest law of the kingdoms. In the Citadel, we are doubly protected by the Kings’ Peace.”
He exhales a long breath, his shoulders slumping, arms loose at his sides. “You’re naïve, Caliane. Do you really believe those men are all good boys who stick to the laws? They can send an assassin or a band of hired swords and keep their hands clean.”
“Maybe, but that would set up a precedent. They are self-serving cowards. If they justify attacking you, who says they won’t do the same to another king who doesn’t act the way they want him to? Each of them is afraid of the others, and they all rely on that law for protection. They won’t risk it.”
“I’m the Agnidari Tyrant. It would beeasyto justify sending assassins to my chamber.”
“You ate with them, you drank with them, you sat at their table. I think they can’t help but think of you as their equal. I hope that’s the case.”
“Hope.”
He takes a deep breath and straightens. When he turns to me, the only sign of his anguish is the weary tilt around his mouth when he smiles.
“I have to think about it. For now, you said we could make them believe we’re not affected. Would you accompany me to the city? We’ll take Raduna and Khay. I want to keep an eye on him so he doesn’t get himself killed.”
I search his face, frowning at his surprisingly quick transformation. Magnar watches me back, kind and inviting, and I frown with suspicion. His smile widens, and he presses his finger to the line between my eyebrows.
“Come on. It’s a sunny day since Raduna’s croaking about bad weather didn’t come true. We should enjoy ourselves while we can.”
I am almost certain he’s deceiving me, only, I don’t know why. Magnar lowers his face to mine, mimicking my expression. Then, faster than I can blink, he lets out his tongue and licks my cheek.
“What!” I gasp. “You licked me!”
“I did. You enjoy me licking you, don’t you, wife?”
My mouth falls open in outrage. “But not on my face!”
He laughs, wiping his saliva off my cheekwith his thumb. “Where, then? You have to tell me.”
I shake my head, feeling queasy, confused, too distracted, too tired to think. Magnar presses his forehead to mine, his palm settling on my belly.
“I need a break from this. Please. I want to spend a wonderful day with you. Oh, I know. Let’s pretend it’s our honeymoon already, hm? All troubles are done with, all duties carried out, and all that’s left is you and me, our knights, and a peaceful day together.”
Oh, it’s tempting. Even his words alone make relief pour into my tight chest, my tense muscles uncoiling. I nod hesitantly, and Magnar gives me a brilliant, happy smile.
“Let’s go.”
It’s early afternoon, and the city brims with activity. We walk the streets holding hands, and not only are we not gaped at, people smile at us, women curtsying, men bowing when we pass. I nod back, surprised by that warm treatment.
We go from shop to shop, and Magnar buys me perfumes, an outrageous amount of amber jewelry, a warm shawl when I grow chilly. When we stumble into a feather fashion shop, I make him and our knights put on colorful hats with large, flamboyant feathers that sway with every movement. Magnar buys those, too.
