Page 69 of The King's Sword
“She’s untrustworthy.”
“That tends to be the case with those you don’t know or love.”
He smiled. “I can see why my son likes you.”
“And I do like him. We are friends—but that is all. I can assure you of that. I am married to King Rainer.”
“Good. I’m glad to hear it. Because if there was something untoward going on between the two of you, King Rainer would make it his mission to level my kingdom to the ground.”
“While I’m flattered you believe that, and I’m equally flattered you believe your son is capable of loving someone like me, you are mistaken. My husband married me for a political alliance. He wouldn’t attack your kingdom on my account.”
Kai smiled and leaned forward. “You are Rainer’s property, and he isn’t one to share. He is just like his father.” Kai stood. “After all, why do you think he killed my delegation?”
Everything he’d said grated on her nerves. First, she hated the idea that she was a man’s property. When she’d been at the Lynk palace, that was how Rainer made her feel. He wanted her to look and dress the part, but he didn’t want her to be his partner or share the burden of ruling. And then for Kai to compare Rainer to his father was equally irritating. She’d found the late queen’s journal detailing how her husband, Rainer’s father, had hit and abused her. It was almost like Kai knew that somehow.
She was still trying to figure out why Rainer had killed the delegation. The only thing she could think of was that he blamed someone in Avoni for murdering Alina. While he knew Lottie was responsible for hiring the assassin, Rainer had to have figured out that the assassin came from Avoni. However, she thought his actions were extreme. The members of the delegation had been innocent. She clutched her hands together, wanting to push Kai on the matter without upsetting him. She didn’t want to find herself dead and tossed into the lake, becoming food for the fish.
Kai went over to the side table, pouring himself a drink. He didn’t ask if Sabine wanted anything. He took a sip and sat back down. “Did you know I not only sent a delegation to Lynk, but I also sent a unit of men?”
She’d wondered why they’d arrived on such a large ship. “No, I didn’t know that. Why did you send so many people?”
“I heard accusations that Avoni is responsible for taking children from Bakley. I wanted to prove our innocence.” He took another sip. “While the delegation was at the palace, my unit searched Lynk for the children.” He eyed her. “Before my men could return and report back to me, Rainer blew up my ship and my delegation. But my men, they’re stuck in the kingdom. I don’t know if they’ve been taken, if they’re hiding, or if Rainer even knows they’re there. I’ve had zero communication.” He finished his drink. “So you see, if Rainer finds my men in his kingdom, it would be seen as an attack. He would then be justified to strike against me. He’d have everything he needed to go to war. Especially—especially—if he knew you’d been kidnapped and were in Avoni.”
“The League would have to side with him,” she said, everything falling into place.
“Exactly. The League would see his actions as justified.”
Sabine leaned forward, sliding her hands into her hair and gripping her head.
She heard movement and saw the king’s boots before her. She dared not look up at him.
“And now I hear my son is off killing one of his own countryman for you.”
It wasn’t like that. He was killing an assassin. A bad, evil person. A man who’d been hunting her.
“I hope you don’t get my son killed.” He left, the sound of his steps the only thing she could hear above the soft patter of falling rain.
ChapterEleven
Sabine paced in the bedchamber, unable to sleep. Not only was Evander about to take on a skilled assassin alone, but the king’s conversation with her kept replaying in her mind. For some reason, she thought there was more going on than she was privy to. She hadn’t had a chance to discuss it with Evander yet. She chewed on her thumbnail—a nasty habit. Once Evander was back, the sick feeling in her stomach would settle. While this entire mission needed to be a secret from everyone in Avoni, she would have preferred for him to have taken a unit of men with him. Surely he could have sworn them to secrecy. But secrets always seemed to have a way of coming out.
Moving her hands to her hips, she continued pacing. Images of Evander getting hurt or worse, killed, inundated her. Sweat beaded on her forehead and her stomach twisted from nausea. If something happened to Evander, the king would probably kill her as retribution or she’d be thrown out of the palace, forced to survive on her own. If she managed to survive, she didn’t know how she’d ever live with herself knowing she was responsible for his death. He wouldn’t be fighting Ex if it wasn’t for her. Thinking about the future, she couldn’t imagine it without him. Somewhere along the line, he’d become a friend she valued. Life without him seemed bleak.
Things had a funny way of turning out. When she’d first met Evander, he scared her. Then her fright turned to annoyance. Somehow after that, she got to know him and began to consider him a friend. Now it seemedfriendwasn’t the right word. If she was being truly honest with herself, somewhere along the way she’d started to care for him as more than a friend. She felt inexplicably pulled to him. And that kiss they shared—the one she’d locked away to think about later—had been intense, sensual, and passionate. It could never happen again. It had been stupid of her to give in to her desire and kiss him since she was married.
How had she allowed herself to fall for an assassin? If only this had happenedbeforeshe’d married Rainer. She’d always dreamed of finding someone she loved, marrying, and having children. With Rainer, she didn’t think they would ever have a loving relationship. Especially now that she knew the evils he was capable of. Tears filled her eyes. She could imagine love, children, and happiness with Evander. Which was insane because they’d only just met, and she barely knew him. But deep down, she felt a connection to him she couldn’t imagine having with anyone else.
When she’d first met Rainer, she thought him devastatingly handsome. And he was. He was the most seductive and sensuous man she’d ever seen. It would be easy to share his bed. But since they didn’t care for one another that way, it would also be awkward.
She leaned her forehead against the cool glass, her thoughts turning to Evander. Being with him would be different than Rainer since they shared a connection. They would experience things in unison. Explore each other. The wordlovesprang to mind.
The rain came down even harder, pinging on the roof above her, drowning out her thoughts of things that could never be. She had been born into a royal family, and that meant she had a duty to her people. It was time she put them first instead of her own thoughts and wants. Bringing her sister’s killer to justice no longer mattered. All that mattered was protecting her people. She needed to act like the queen she was and no longer be a spoiled, selfish child. She needed to prevent Rainer from going to war with the other kingdoms, and she needed to insist he return the Bakley children to their families.
She snuffed out the candle and climbed into bed. Lying there, the night wore on. The fire in the hearth slowly died, but she didn’t bother to add another log to it. The rain continued to pound against the roof and windows.
Something shifted in the air. Sabine couldn’t explain it, but the hairs on her arms rose and her heart pounded. When she’d been in the training room with Evander, he’d told her to use and trust her senses. If it felt like something was wrong, she had to act accordingly. She slid out of bed and glanced about the room, not seeing anything out of place. Even though the palace was always quiet, especially at night, it seemed more so than usual. Something was wrong. Turning back to her bed, she quickly shoved the pillows beneath the covers, trying to make it look as if she were still sleeping there. Satisfied, she withdrew a knife from her bedside table then tiptoed to the bathing room, keeping the door ajar and hiding behind it.
Minutes went by, and nothing happened. Maybe she was being overly paranoid and her imagination was getting the best of her. Given what Evander was up to tonight, that had to be it. This was a fortified compound. No one could get in. Regardless, she didn’t want to go back to bed. Instead, she sat on the floor in the bathing room, still tucked behind the door. The darkness made it harder and harder to keep her eyes open.
