Page 80 of To Wake a Kingdom

“Yours? Are you the Queen of Ravalyn, then? I understood you were a princess.”

“My parents have both passed,” I said, willing myself not to crumple. “So yes, I am now Ravalyn’s queen.”

My bluff smelled as rancid as horse shit. I was the queen of nothing.

“Well, thatisinteresting.” Erick tapped his chin. “Do you know I am still quelling uprisings in the eastern townships? They are still loyal to Ravalyn, even though you abandoned them.” I could see how angry it made him to admit this.

“My family was beloved. We were good to our people.”

Erick raised an eyebrow. “So good you disappeared and left them to be conquered by my family. My great grandfather fought for those territories and won. What makes you think you have any right to them?”

“Because they were taken unfairly.”

“Well, I supposethatis a matter of perspective.” Erick stood, pressing his palms to the table. He wore long red robes adorned with scrolling borders of gold. “Very well. I implore you to remain in the castle as a guest of Estria. We are nothing if not civilized, even when faced with our enemies. Especially ones of such might and ferocity.”

It was obvious he was mocking me, and I allowed myself the briefest fantasy where I’d cut off his cock and feed it to him. As if hearing my thoughts, he pelted me with a suspicious look that I returned with an acerbic smile.

“Erick, I see wedding preparations are underway,” Ronan interjected, changing the subject. “The Lady Perrand will make a beautiful bride, and it will be a fitting opportunity to celebrate your coronation as well.”

Erick offered his younger brother a shrewd glance that assessed him from head to toe before returning his gaze to me. “Yes, we will see about that.”

Chapter Thirty-One

“YourHighness,”astoutelderly woman said, entering the room with a silver tray suspended between her hands. After the meeting with Erick, Kianna and I had been escorted to guest rooms that did nothing to diminish Estria’s obvious advantages over my kingdom.

The bedchamber was enormous, the walls lined with pale blue silk adorned with creamy filigree. Ornate rugs of fine luminous wool covered the blue marble tiles where I stood.

The woman curtsied and placed the tray on the low table in front of a blue velvet sofa that faced a massive four-poster bed also draped in blue silk. Sunlight poured in through tall windows that opened to a long balcony stretching the length of the room and curving in a delicate arch.

The tray bore a pot of tea and a plate topped with cookies, candied fruit, and thick slices of white cheese. My stomach grumbled in acknowledgement.

“You are invited to dine with Prince Erick as his guest this evening. I am to help you get ready.”

“And you are?” I reached for a cookie.

Aghast, she snatched one from the platter, depositing it onto a small plate before thrusting it toward me.

“I am Luella,” she said with a tip of her head, hands folded in front of her stomach. “Should you require anything, I am at your service.”

Parched, I reached for the teapot, and she jumped as though someone had prodded her with an iron hot poker.

“Your Highness,” she said in admonishment. “Please, you should allow me to do that.”

She gestured for me to sit on the sofa and poured the tea, handing me the cup with a confounded expression.

I’d forgotten how little I was supposed to do for myself, all those weeks alone in the castle. Here, I was a princess again.

With a sharp clap of her hands, three more women entered the room, each holding a stunning dress. Their style was distinct—the cut low, and the silhouette tailored with trim sleek lines. Something about their simple, understated nature appealed to this version of me. Less window-dressing and more to the point. More practical and definitely less innocent.

“Which do you prefer?” Luella eyed me, wringing her hands.

I pointed to a dark green one on the far left. Made of shimmering emerald material shot through with veins of silver, the color reminded me of Ronan’s eyes.

“Splendid.” Luella clasped her hands under her chin and grinned. “Let’s get you out of those traveling clothes.”

After a bath, her team of helpers buffed and plucked me, twittering around me like a cheerful flock of hummingbirds.

It felt like a completely different life from the last time I’d undergone such ministrations. I mourned for the girl I’d been, but not because of the pretty hair and fancy dresses. I could feel how much I’d changed in the past month—how much I had grown.

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