Page 69 of The Fae Kings' Bargain

They needed more time.

Suddenly, Mehl spoke up. “If someone is impersonating Lord Aony, he most certainly will want to know. We will have our soldiers apprehend the so-called envoys who claimed to come from your land. In the meantime, our chamberlain will ensure you have a place to rest.”

It wasn’t an offer, but a command. Recognizing it as such, the messenger bowed his head. “Thank you, Your Majesties.”

Toren lifted a finger, and from his place beside the door, Macoe nodded and slipped silently out the room to see Mehl’s first order done. One of the higher-level servants approached Feref, who bent to give his own commands. In a matter of moments, the servant was escorting the messenger from the throne room, leaving an expectant hush behind.

Once again, Toren stood, his husband only a breath behind. “There is much to consider, but I urge you to remain on your guard,” he said, even before the courtiers had finished sinking to their knees. “Feref will complete the announcements while we withdraw to handle this matter. If anyone has additional information, I expect it to be brought to us immediately.”

He glanced toward Ria’s position as he turned to leave, but he didn’t have time to find her in the crowd. He connected with Mehl.“Did you see Ria?”

“As she slipped out of the room a moment ago,”Mehl replied.“I’ve sent a guard to tell her to meet us in the study.”

Ria had slipped out? Why? Toren had no suspicions about her, not anymore, but dread filled him all the same. Perhaps she’d merely grown tired and had chosen to leave while the courtiers were distracted. Surely, she wouldn’t do anything foolish after last night.

But his fear wouldn’t abate.

* * *

Ria wondered fleetinglyif she’d lost her mind as she hurried down the corridor after Sir Macoe, but instinct told her she couldn’t delay. Toren and Mehl would deliberate for hours on this latest development—for good reason, since they had the entire kingdom to consider. If she were brave enough, she could help them.

Who could have expected that the entire delegation had been false? It had seemed bad enough that Prince Ber and Tes were working together to infiltrate the palace, but the princess hadn’t appeared to be malicious. If the messenger’s story were true, it implied that something more sinister was going on, something at odds with Tes’s earnest “rescue” attempt. They wouldn’t go to the effort of recruiting a high-ranking lord to deliver a pretend message just so they could save a random woman from a breeding contract.

Besides, Tes had claimed she’d already married Prince Ber and that they’d pretended to leave on a wedding trip. He’d been waiting for her somewhere safe, the princess had said. Yet the messenger claimed her “betrothed” Prince Ber was with the king. Which was the truth?

If only Ria had pressed Toren harder about questioning Tes before sending her to the dungeon! The woman surely held the key to much of this. But would the princess confide in Toren? Considering their interaction after Mehl had caught her, no.

Ria had to hope Tes would be more open with her.

Sir Macoe paused to speak to a guard, giving Ria time to catch up. Though her legs began to tremble with each step closer, she didn’t slow. No matter how much she wanted to.I can do this, she thought. She’d stood up to Toren earlier, hadn’t she? The captain of the guard would be nothing compared to that.

When he pinned her beneath his sharp gaze, she reminded herself of that again. “Lady Ria,” Sir Macoe said.

She barely noticed when the guard left—she was too busy commanding her knees not to buckle. “Sir Macoe. Please forgive my disruption, but I need your aid.”

“I have a great deal to do for the kings, my lady,” he replied.

“I am aware.” Ria gathered her resolve. “However, I require you to see me safely to the dungeon.”

His brows rose. “Pardon? Did you say the dungeon?”

“I did.”

“Forgive me, my lady, but that seems unwise,” Sir Macoe said, his regard even more piercing. “And I have no orders to do such.”

Ria shoved her shoulders back and channeled every noble client she’d ever had. “You do now. I am the Duchess of Nevial and the Royal Consort. As I outrank you, I suggest you obey my command. I doubt the kings would be pleased if you left me to find the dungeon on my own.”

Sir Macoe’s eyes narrowed on her face, and at first, she thought he would refuse—and probably laugh for good measure. But whether it was her words or something he saw in her expression, he finally nodded. He gestured toward the hall with a flourishing bow.

“I will escort you part of the way myself, my lady.” He started down the corridor, and she wasted no time following. “But only until I reach my own destination. After that, you’ll have to rely on a pair of my most trusted guards. Is that sufficient?”

“As long as the kings would consider them such,” Ria replied.

She had a feeling Toren and Mehl wouldn’t consider an entire army sufficient so soon after her abduction, but they couldn’t accuse her of being reckless. She was no fool. There could be a new threat at any time, and she wasn’t going to rush out to find it. Perhaps even trusting Sir Macoe was a mistake, though if that were the case, the kings had far more to worry about than her.

But speaking to Tes was worth the risk.

* * *

---