Fireblood (Frostblood Saga #2)(76)

“Who would I send in my place? Brother Thistle? He’s getting rather long in the tooth to stage a rescue, don’t you think? Or should I have sent my soldiers, perhaps members of my personal guard? Even if they’d shown no animosity to you before, that doesn’t mean they’d be willing to lay down their lives for you in my absence. They could come back empty-handed with any made-up story of how a rescue was impossible and I’d never know the difference. There’s no one I trust enough to send after you. I had to come myself.”

His words warmed me like a great, crackling bonfire. “Who did you leave in charge?”

“Lord Ustathius, of course. He’s more than capable and he has the court’s trust.”

“But what about the peace accords? It would have been a terrible time to—”

“I know,” he broke in, finally meeting my eyes. For a second, I was startled by all that blue. Aside from the queen’s servant, who had a paler shade, I hadn’t seen vivid Frostblood eyes for weeks now, and they looked just as foreign and surprising to me as the impossibly pink flowers had looked when I’d first arrived in Sudesia. “Don’t you think I know it was a terrible time to leave?”

“And to chase a Fireblood. I can just imagine the gossip.”

He grimaced. “We had a cover story, of course. That the queen had agreed to talk with me, but only if I came in person.”

“If only she would talk to you. If we can just get her to sign the peace accords, the provinces will follow suit.”

“It didn’t seem like the queen was all that eager to do what you asked.” He gestured to my cheek, which must be fairly red, since it had started to throb. A flicker of something like regret sparked in his eyes before they shuttered.

“But you’re here, aren’t you, rather than in prison?” I said. “So I do have some influence.”

He looked at me, his expression bleak. “Are you really the queen’s niece?”

“They seem to think so.” And I thanked Sud for my new identity, no matter whether I had any right to it. Without it, I would have no way to protect Arcus.

“You seemed comfortable enough in the role.” He glanced pointedly at my crown. “Almost as comfortable as you were in the arms of that fop.”

“He’s not a fop.”

Arcus snorted.

“Well, Kai does love his wardrobe, I admit. But he’s not so bad. You might like him if you gave him a chance.”

He turned a look of complete incredulity on me. “You’re many things, but I never thought you were deluded.” He shook his head again, as if he couldn’t believe it. “How do you happen to be a princess, anyway? I’m sure the Frost Court would enjoy the unlikely tale.”

Despite the sarcasm, I knew he cared more than he wanted to admit. I briefly recounted the first trial when I’d stopped the flow of lava, and how, when I was delirious from scorpion poison, the queen had heard me singing her sister’s version of a lullaby.

Though I spoke lightly about the whole thing, his brows drew together and he watched me with a penetrating gaze, his expression freezing as I described my brushes with death.

When I was done, he took a breath, making a noticeable effort to relax. “So you took the trials to gain access to the book, and instead you’ve gained a kingdom.”

“I don’t know about that. I’m not sure I’m willing to accept that I am her niece.”

“It doesn’t matter if you accept it. The queen believes it and has named you her heir. Your future is here now. Isn’t it?”

A few weeks ago, I would have fallen all over myself reassuring him that wasn’t true. But there was this awkward distance between us, and more important, I hadn’t had time to process any of what I’d learned over the past few days. I said the one thing I was sure about. “My immediate plans haven’t changed. I need to destroy the Minax.” I stood and paced from the bed to the fireplace and back. “But first, I need to get you out of here. I’ll speak to Queen Nalani when she’s had time to calm down. She has to see reason.”

“Don’t bother.”

I gasped. “Did you just say that?” Heat flared in my chest and my fingertips grew warm.

He put up a palm. “I only mean that speaking to her won’t do any good. She conceded to you about my imprisonment because she saw that she was losing control of you. She retreated from a minor skirmish so she could amass her forces for a win. If she wants me dead, she won’t be persuaded out of it.”

“Then what do you suggest?”

“First of all, have you found the book?”

I hated to extinguish the hope in his eyes. “I broke into the masters’ library, but it wasn’t there. I don’t know where else to look. After I become a master, I’ll be able to ask them directly about the Minax. Or maybe there’s another library or more books that could help.”

“After you become a master. So you plan to go through with it?” His expression and tone were carefully blank.

“I have to. They won’t tell me anything until I’m one of them.”

“And what do you need to pledge to become one of them?”

I feigned nonchalance to cover my fears. “Undying loyalty to the queen. Complete subservience. My firstborn child.”