“Three seasons, and dragons will patrol the Craggs,” I said, forcing brightness into my tone.
Nine months. That was all the time I had to decipher Tallon’s heart before our union sealed the treaty.
And still, he ran from me at every turn.
“The days should pass quickly,” he replied.
I fought to keep my face neutral, stifling the disgust that rebelled in my mind. I didn’t want hollow reassurances that we’d somehow get on. If anything, I appreciated his bluntness, and preferred if he’d admit to being eager for an heir.
Which reminded me of the conversation I had overheard, his words lingering. If Tallon was a true bastard, my child—and I—would have no claim to Radaan. It would be worse than being a spinster princess in Draconia.
We halted at a door, and Greaves darted ahead to open it, obscuring the fine details of the engraved wood. I mourned at the loss to study its beauty.
“Princess Nienna,” the guard announced.
King Kallias gave me a gentle nudge. I released his arm, offering a smile to the women lounging inside, their porcelain cups clinking as they rose in a collective gasp of recognition. The room stirred with their hurried movement.
“Peace, ladies. I’ll be on my way,” the king said, stepping back with his usual calm. He faced me, voice soft. “Good day, Princess. Enjoy your tea.”
Greaves cleared his throat, drawing Kallias’ attention before he stepped into the hall.
“Thank you!” I called after them.
His guard fell in step behind him, and I watched the gold mantle sway against his back, the sound of his departure growing fainter. Somehow, he was the one man in the palace who both terrified me—and seemed to care for my wellbeing.
What a conundrum of feelings.
I returned my focus to the room, drawing in a slow breath. Faces marked with barely concealed skepticism, and distrust met mine.
Fyrn’sol emerged from the group, setting her teacup on a small table, and beckoned me in. “Please, come in, Your Highness! I beg your pardon—we had no idea thekingwould be escorting you! Quite the shock!”
Her kind eyes sparkled with mischief as she extended her hand, her voice warm. Dressed in a fine blue gown, sheer fabric spilled around her feet like waves on the shore. How she managed to walk in it was beyond me. Her blonde hair was piled high on her head, clear gems woven into the curls.
She guided me inside as a servant shut the door behind us. The women swarmed me with introductions—names and titles flying fast, each one competing for my attention. I committed as many as I could to memory, though the older women’s wary glances stood out against the more eager stares of the younger nobles.
“It seems you’ve made quite the impression on the king, Princess,” May’neer said, lifting a tiny cup to her lips. Cloudy gray eyes met mine over the rim, probing for answers.
“I was returning from saying goodbye to my brother,” a dreamy sigh drew my attention to a young brunette, whose name escaped me, “and was found without escort.”
“I sent one to your rooms!” Fyrn’sol gasped, pressing a hand to her chest as she lounged on a deep couch.
The women draped over the furniture like blankets, while I sat stiffly in the high-backed chair reserved for me, rigid and proper.
“Do you know when Prince Ronan might return?” the brunette asked, her eyes filled with hope.
Curse my brother. What had he been up to when he disappeared last night?
“Alas, I do not,” I replied, shaking my head with a sympathetic smile.
“Not only did King Kallias escort you, but he danced with you,” another older woman piped up from a nearby chair. She slumped to one side, as if sitting upright was too taxing for her plump frame. Gray hair curled around her face, attempting to be tamed in some sort of style, though I couldn’t place how.
“And he received you at your first dinner.”
“And she kissed him!” The last comment came from a younger woman, no older than her teens.
I shot her a sharp look of disapproval. “It was the Dragon’s Kiss, a symbol of the alliance between our families.” I kept my tone firm. “It was not an embrace of passion, but one of familial ties.”
Though itshouldhave been.
