Page 112 of The Fae Kings' Bargain

“I’m not even sure I’ve agreed,” Ria pointed out. “Or that you’ve truly, officially asked.”

With Mehl to his right and Ria to his left, it was easy for him to take both their hands. He glanced at Mehl, who nodded, before turning to Ria. “Will you do us the honor of marrying us in the grand temple in front of all? It would bring my heart joy for the world to see the depth of our full commitment.”

“As it would mine,” Mehl said. “Will you, Ria?”

She sat so very still, her expression frozen with disbelief. A tear slipped from her eye, and his heart cracked. Had he pressed too soon, after all? The words had felt right, but perhaps he had ruined everything. She pressed her fingers to her lips, and another tear slipped free.

But then she nodded. “Yes. I’m terrified you will regret it, but yes.”

Relief loosened his hold on their hands, but it was just as well. Immediately, he rose, a love and joy too profound for words filling him until it was impossible to remain seated. He scooped Ria into his arms so quickly that her chair toppled over, but he merely grinned over at Mehl.

“This calls for a celebration, don’t you think?” Toren asked. “Whatever you have planned for the afternoon, cancel it.”

Then he carried Ria all the way back to their bedchamber, gawking courtiers be damned.

* * *

Ria squirmedin her seat and smiled at the secret, delicious ache the movement brought. She’d been well-rewarded for her bravery in accepting the kings’ proposal, that was certain. She could only thank the gods for the soaking pool in their bathing chamber, or her muscles might have gone stiff after so much exertion.

Now, she only had an hour to spend in the archives before she would need to get dressed for dinner. Toren and Mehl had both told her she needn’t go, but she couldn’t avoid court functions forever, especially not after their engagement was announced. It also seemed a poor choice to show weakness only a couple of days before Prince Ber’s arrival, even if she would rather be reading.

“You’relooking satisfied, andI’mready to flee at the first opportunity,” Ryssa said, her hands clenched tight atop the table. “I can’t believe they let me in here.”

Ria patted the top of her hand. “You are family,” she said, but she didn’t miss the bodyguard’s presence beside the door. “The kings trust that my cousin is up to no harm. I’m sure you bring Mehl comfort. He has worried about me being in here alone since the time he found me napping in my seat.”

“You fell asleep here?” Ryssa blinked at her, then laughed. “And you didn’t realize you were…far too exhausted?”

She understood what the princess wouldn’t say with the guard so near. How hadn’t Ria realized she might be pregnant? “I suppose I didn’t want to slow down enough to listen to my body. There’s so much for me to learn. And looking at the time, I’d better get busy learning it.”

Tipping her head down, Ryssa pulled out the needlework she’d brought, but before she started working, she moved down another seat. “I do not want to knowanyof the secrets in this room,” the princess muttered in explanation.

So that was why she was so nervous. Ria winced. Why hadn’t it occurred to her that the princess of Centoi might be uncomfortable in the restricted royal archives of another kingdom? Ria had anticipated that Toren and Mehl might dislike Ryssa’s presence here, but she really should have considered the princess’s feelings. Learning the wrong thing could put her in an awkward position, indeed. Next time, she would wait until one of the kings could accompany her.

But they were already here, so Ria might as well use her time wisely. She opened the first tome she’d grabbed, a text so old that the pages had slightly yellowed and the ink had started to fade despite all the preservation spells imbued into the book. Toren couldn’t remember if the laws made provision for marrying a second person while still wed to the first, but she intended to find out. She would happily forgo a long engagement and fancy wedding if it saved them all—entire kingdom included—some grief.

Really, she could forgo the fancy wedding altogether. Just the thought of that much scrutiny made her feel a little sick.

The reading, on the other hand, made her incredibly bored. It wasn’t only the sheer number of laws established when the kingdom had been formed—it was the wording. The text was so lengthy and archaic that she struggled to keep her mind from drifting, and where it wanted to drift right now was straight into sleep.

Her time was nearly up before she muddled through enough pages to reach the laws of succession and how that succession might be challenged. There were more than she’d expected, and there were multiple things that could be used to prevent an unsuitable heir from claiming the throne. But what about for an existing monarch?

She found that a couple of pages further in. Sure enough, the first such law detailed the birthright challenge, which allowed another of royal blood to make a claim if the current monarch hadn’t produced an heir a century after marriage. If that spouse was lost before the allotted time, the monarch would have another century after their next marriage. Nothing about concurrent marriages, though.

But what was this note?For spell component, see RRK, p223.Ria placed a bookmark between the pages and flipped to the front of the book, hoping to find a definition for RRK. Nothing there—or in the back when she looked. What kind of reference tome didn’t give details about what it referenced?

She wanted to slam the book closed, but she couldn’t. Not without earning the Head Archivist’s wrath. She could only allow herself a frustrated groan loud enough to earn a questioning look from Ryssa. Unless Ria wanted to get an archivist involved, it seemed she would have to ask Toren.

In the meantime, she had to prepare for dinner.

Chapter51

Inevitable

Ria frowned over at Toren for what had to be the tenth time since dinner had begun. He was so tense that even the courtiers at the nearest table eyed him uncertainly. Apparently, their afternoon hadn’t relaxed him nearly as much as it had her. She wanted to ask him about the research tome, but not if he was already upset about something.

Mehl leaned closer to Toren and spoke low, but his question drifted her way. “Is there something we should be aware of, Tor?”

The High King sighed into his wine glass. “I want to make the announcement tonight, but it’s better to wait until Ria’s presentation tomorrow.”

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