“And? What does that have to do with me?”
“You’re being summoned back for a second interview.”
Finn’s knees suddenly decided they didn’t want to work, and he quickly grabbed the back of the chair. “What did you say?”
“His Majesty requests your presence at the castle for a week-long second interview, starting three days from now.” Jericho was practically vibrating with satisfaction. “I told you. I told you you’d be perfect.”
“That’s not… I can’t have been perfect. I was completely honest and listed every fault I have. I even admitted I’d probably insult visiting dignitaries within a week.” Finn’s mind was racing. “He must have misunderstood something I said.”
“Or,” Jericho said slowly, waving the letter, “he actually liked what you said. I know it’s a revolutionary concept, but it could be true.”
Finn snatched the letter and read it himself. The words were exactly what Jericho had said. King Darragh formally requested Finn’s presence at the castle for one week, beginning three days hence, for the purpose of further evaluation as a potentialconsort candidate. Accommodations would be provided. Formal attire was recommended but not required.
“Not required,” Finn muttered. “Like he knows I don’t have enough formal attire to last a week.”
“We can fix that,” Jericho said. “Mother will be thrilled to help.”
“Mother won’t know about this. Nobody can know about this.” Finn looked up and glared at his brother. “Nobody’s going to know, because I’m going to write back and politely decline.”
“You’re going to what?” Finn didn’t think he’d ever seen Jericho’s face that particular shade of red.
“Decline. Turn him down. Explain that there’s been a misunderstanding.” Finn set the letter on the desk. “You weren’t there, Jericho. I was completely honest in that interview. Brutally honest, if you want the truth of it. If the king wants a second interview, surely that can only mean he didn’t understand what I was trying to tell him in the first one.”
“Or it means he understood perfectly and wants to get to know you better anyway.”
“I don’t understand why he would do that?”
Jericho moved closer, his expression shifting from smug to serious. “Finn, did you like him?”
The question caught Finn off guard. “What?”
“It’s a simple enough question. The king. Did you like him?”
Finn thought about Darragh’s laugh. The way his whole face had changed when he smiled. The way he’d leaned forward when Finn talked about Safe Harbor’s perception problem, as if he was truly interested in what Finn had to say.
“He was…fine,” Finn said carefully.
“Fine.”
“Fine. Better than fine.” Finn sighed. That was the problem with having brothers and always being honest. “He was funny. And I felt he was honest with me. He actually listened when I talked, even though I was saying things no sane person would say in a royal interview.”
“And?”
“And nothing. It doesn’t matter if I liked him. I’m still completely wrong for the position he’s offering.”
“Are you, though?” Jericho sat down in one of the leather chairs. “Because from what I’ve heard about the king, honesty is at the top of the list of things he values in a person most. He spent six months meeting eligible women two years ago and hated every second of it because they all wanted his crown more than they wanted him.”
“I don’t want his crown at all.”
“Exactly.” Jericho smiled. “Which is probably why he wants to see you again.”
Finn paced to the window. The village spread out below, familiar and comfortable. His whole life was spent in that village - fixing roofs, helping neighbors, doing work that actually mattered to real people. The castle was like a far-off world. A world of politics and protocol, and that massive summit event Darragh had mentioned.
“He’s hosting the World Council summit in six months,” Finn said. “I imagine that’s the only reason he’s looking for a spouse now. Do you have any idea how terrifying that is? Representatives from every major kingdom, all watching Safe Harbor for signs of weakness. And he wants me there? He must’ve gotten the wrong idea about me. I’d ruin everything.”
“Or,” Jericho said, “you’d do exactly what you’ve always done. Be yourself. Help where you can and treat people like people instead of titles.”
“That’s not how royal courts work.”
