The Blood Spell (Ravenspire, #4)(62)

One week to sift through all the pros and cons each head family brought to the table and choose a girl to be his queen. One week to get used to the idea that his heart wanted someone he could never have. The thought made it difficult to breathe.

One week, and the course of his life would be set in stone. He’d have to cajole goodwill out of the families whose girls weren’t chosen. Offer prestigious diplomatic posts to the girls and whichever man they eventually chose to marry. Give the families more contracts for royal goods and services. Choose their favored children, nieces, and cousins for upper level military or magisterial positions.

“How are you?” his mother asked. “And give me an honest answer.”

He took a moment to think before he spoke. “Tired. Worried. Ready for this to be over, but unsure that I have enough time left to make the best choice.”

“That’s what I thought we’d work on tonight.” She gestured toward some parchment sitting on a small table beside his chair. “I thought we could list pros and cons for each girl to help you make your decision.”

He shifted in his chair. “That makes it sound like a business transaction with the girls as goods we’re evaluating. I don’t like it.”

“You don’t have to like it. This is how things are done in your kingdom.”

“But we can’t just discuss the girls like they’re horses we’re thinking of buying. It’s disrespectful. They’re people, and they deserve to be treated with dignity.”

His mother smiled again. “My sweet boy, your heart is going to make you a great king. Beloved by all and remembered through the ages. But part of being a king is knowing when you have to do things you don’t want to do because it will keep the peace.”

He met her gaze for a moment, and then sighed. “Fine. But we are going to discuss each girl with respect. I’m not going to treat them like goods I’m buying at the market.”

“I would expect no less from you. Now, which is your favorite?”

Blue’s face flashed across Kellan’s mind, and he tugged at his collar. He couldn’t choose her as his favorite, but he could do something about her situation now that he had his mother’s undivided attention.

“Let’s talk about Blue first,” he said.

His mother drew back, her eyes narrowing. “Why are you thinking about Blue when I ask you which girl is your favorite?”

Hang it all. His heart was causing him enough confusion on its own. He certainly wasn’t going to try explaining the problem to his mother.

“I’ve been meaning to discuss her with you all day, but we were both so busy, I never found the chance.” He kept his voice steady, his gaze even. Blue was a family friend. Of course he was concerned about her. Anyone would be.

His mother watched him carefully. “What would you like to discuss about Blue?”

“I think we should look over the guardianship document that gives Dinah Chauveau control over Blue,” he said.

“You think it’s a fraud?” Her voice lowered, though there was no staff in the room to overhear.

“I’d like us to be absolutely sure.” Kellan leaned forward, splaying his arms across his thighs. “I can’t understand why a woman with Dinah’s wealth and power would move herself and her daughters into the de la Cours’ farmhouse, or why she’d have any interest in the alchemy shop. And I don’t like the way she treats Blue.”

The queen met his gaze. “How does she treat Blue?”

“She hits her, though I think I’ve put a stop to it.”

“Hits her?” The queen’s lips pressed into a thin, hard line.

“Nessa and I went to the shop to check on Blue, and walked into the storeroom in time to see Dinah slapping Blue.” A hot flash of anger stirred in his gut at the memory.

“And how did you put a stop to it?”

He kept his eyes on hers, though he was pretty sure she wasn’t going to like what he had to say. “I subtly threatened to not choose Jacinthe for the betrothal if I ever heard of her laying a hand on Blue again.”

The queen’s expression remained unreadable for a long moment, and Kellan waited to hear that he’d been foolish. That the all-important betrothal and the nuanced, political gamesmanship that went into it, couldn’t be sacrificed for the fate of one commoner.

Instead, the queen said softly, “Good for you.”

“I had to try . . . Wait, what? You aren’t upset with me?”

“Blue is Nessa’s dearest friend, and has been a staunch help to me with my headaches and fatigue of late. Her father was my sweet Talbot’s most trusted friend, and the two of you grew up together. Blue is practically family, and we protect our family.”

Kellan shook the tension out of his shoulders. “So what do we do about this?”

“I’ll speak with Dinah. She’ll listen to reason. Staying at the farmhouse instead of in her quarter doesn’t meet her duties as head of the Chauveau family.”

“And the guardianship document?” Kellan asked.

“Her solicitor will have had to file it with the magistrate in Blue’s quarter. I’ll ask our royal solicitor to request it so it can be examined.”

“Doesn’t the entire situation seem strange to you?”