“I am familiar,” I say. “It is my name, after all.”
“Well, it is good to know that you’re familiar with your name. And why exactly do you think I should allow you to take your sister’s place?”
“Because you don’t actually care who your wife is.” I’m taking a chance. I know it. I have no idea what King Lucian cares about. No one does. It’s interesting that our first conversation is about myth. Because the man himself is more myth than reality. The idea that he might be a murderer is a popular one.
But there are also rumors that he’s cursed. Destined to never find love because of a curse that a sorcerer put on his family before the start of the wars.
Standing there, looking at him, I think that perhaps he has never wanted love at all.
I have no idea what he wants.
“It’s true,” he says. “I decided to select a woman from Alabria. A commoner. I thought that it might perhaps boost morale among the people. To know that one of their own rules alongside me.”
“Do you intend to have your wife rule alongside you?”
He tilts his head to the side, and he reminds me rather of a snake considering his prey. “I haven’t decided yet. Tell me about yourself, Lilith.”
It is a command. I can tell that he has never had a command directly disobeyed. I can also tell that this is a test.
Perhaps he’s mad. Because I see these warring things in him. The fire in his eyes, the darkness too. He is a predator now, playing with his food, perhaps? Or is he just a jaded rich man looking to be entertained?
If so, why hide away?
He’s a study in too many contradictions to make sense of him, which definitely suggests madness. And yet. For some reason I find him more compelling than repellent.
“I would like to know more about you,” I say.
His lips curve, higher on the left than the right. “So you are disobedient. Interesting.”
“Did you want compliance, Your Highness?”
“No,” he says. “What I would like desperately is to not be bored.”
This galvanizes me. I was right about him. He’s bored. People often find me entertaining—even when I’m not trying to be funny. Whether it’s because I’m forthright or just a bit bolder than a woman should be…
Though I don’t feel bold. I just feel like me.
If it serves me here, though, then I’ll use it.
And feel personally pleased that I was right about my ability to think my way out of it.
“Well, I’m not certain that I can help with entertainment. Are you sure you don’t need a babysitter rather than a wife? Someone to arrange play dates?”
He is smiling fiercely now. “What I need,” he says, “is a rehab of image. Whether I want one or not. The truth is, Alabria is becoming increasingly isolated from trading partners. And from the world itself. All of my attempts at marriages to fix this have failed, except for the union with Basilia. At least, the thwarted wedding resulted in a partnership.”
“I imagine it’s difficult to get other nations to partner with you when there’s a possibility you’ve murdered the previous women that were sent to you.”
I feel the guards near him take a step closer to me. He holds up a hand. “Bold of you to mention that.”
“I don’t see the point of not addressing the elephant in the room. Whether or not I…” I swallow hard. “Whether or not this marriage will be the end of me.”
“I have no wish to harm you, little one. On that you can be certain.”
To some, that might be an endearment. With him, it feels more cold observation.
It isn’t actually an assurance that I will remain unharmed. Just that he doesn’t wish to do it.
I recognize that I’m going to have to be content with that, however. At this point, anything he says is going to be suspect to me. I don’t know him. I have no reason to trust him.
