Page 47 of The Queen's Crown
She turned back to watch Rainer with this man’s beautiful fiancée. She suspected Axel’s warning about Cutler may have had to do with his jealousy that Cutler was engaged to such an alluring woman. Axel probably had a thing for her. But many matches were made based on family alliances rather than love or attraction.
“It’s a beautiful night,” Cutler said. “Let’s take a stroll on the balcony.” He held out his arm for her to take.
She stared at him, trying to decide how best to handle this situation.
“We need to talk,” he said, his voice a whisper.
He must have something to discuss with her in private, away from prying eyes. Given that her fiancé was dancing with his, she figured it was important. Glancing through the nearest archway where two guards stood watch, she saw there were only a few couples on the balcony thus affording them the space they needed.
Sabine slid her hand onto his arm, letting him lead her outside. Even though the sun had set, the air was warm and still. When they reached the railing, she removed her hand from Cutler’s arm and stared into the distance, marveling at the beautiful night sky. “I’ve never seen stars so large,” she said. “They seem closer here than they did back in Bakley.”
Cutler rested his arms on the railing beside her. “Lynk is a unique place.”
Peering over her shoulder, she noticed Markis standing inside near one of the archways, watching, with a cup in one hand. She shook her head ever so slightly indicating she didn’t want it right now. He nodded.
“Next week, Heather and I are to marry.”
She’d heard that name before but couldn’t remember where. “Will the two of you be taking a honeymoon right after?”
“I wish we could, but we can’t, considering the circumstances.”
Somehow, she knew he’d brought her out here to tell her exactly what circumstances they were dealing with. Unfortunately, she suspected it had to do with Rainer and Heather. Sabine was a fool for coming to Lynk and thinking she could take Alina’s place. Everything was so much more complicated than she’d thought it would be.
“It seems the king is in love with my fiancée,” Cutler said.
“It seems your fiancé is in love with the king,” she replied, not knowing if that was true or not. However, she didn’t want Cutler thinking she was some heartbroken young woman who would fall to pieces. She had no illusions as to what her marriage to the king really was. She was here for a political alliance, not love. If Cutler understood that, she could be his ally. It was up to him how things would proceed from here; she’d merely opened the door for the possibility.
“I love her,” he revealed. “I’ve loved her since the day I saw her almost ten years ago.”
She had so many questions and had to force herself to refrain from asking any of them. She needed to let Cutler lead this conversation.
“She never looks at me the way she looks at him. I can’t compete with that. He’s a king.”
Sabine wondered if Heather was in love with Rainer or his title.
“I’d hoped once the king married, he’d lose interest in Heather,” Cutler said. “Not because you’re not beautiful,” he hurried to add.
Sabine chuckled since that’s what his comment had implied. A part of her was vain enough to have been stung by his words.
“They’ve been seeing one another intimately for years,” he revealed.
Then the two of them were in love. Sadness filled her. Rainer reminded her of Alina. Both were in love with someone they weren’t to marry. “Why bring me out here and tell me all of this?”
“I want you to know that the king will never love you.”
She understood that. The part she didn’t get was why bother telling her. She couldn’t figure out his motive and whether he’d be an ally or a foe.
“He willuseyou.” Cutler straightened and turned to face her. “He will sleep with you because he needs a child of royal blood to hold onto his throne. But you’ll be like a whore to him. There to fulfill a basic need. Once he’s done with you, he will cast you aside. Just like his father did to his mother.”
Sabine straightened and faced him, reeling from all he’d said. “I’ll ask you this one last time. Why are you telling me this?” What did he hope to gain?
“I just want you to know that your soon-to-be husband is in love with another woman.”
She didn’t know how to respond to that. Did he expect her to thank him?
“He’ll never love you.”
“Step away from the princess,” Markis demanded, his voice harsh.
