Her eyes widen. ‘Are you sure, m’lady?’
‘Yes, absolutely. And the sooner the better.’
As much as I want to send food out to the slums, rich pates, expensive spices, and alcohol aren’t what they need. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t deserving people who won’t enjoy them more than the lords that sent them.
‘Thank you, m’lady. I’ll get them cleared after breakfast.’
Said breakfast is well underway. Muffins and rolls are already piled up on top of the oven, eggs are boiling in a pan, and Summer has just started whipping what I assume is some kind of cream cheese when the doorbell chimes.
My skin bristles. Jonas.
‘I’m guessing that’s your brother-in-law?’ Benny teases in response to my stormy expression.
‘Don’t,’ I tell him. ‘It’s not funny.’
‘I’ll get the door!’ Kay yells from upstairs before her footsteps thunder down the steps, drawing yet another grimace from me.
‘I guess I should leave you to it,’ Benny says, standing up. Part of me wants to ask him to stay. It would be easier to face the pair of them with him by my side to add a bit of rationality to the situation, but I can’t. Because of William.
I still don’t know what, if anything, Jonas has told Kay about our brother; whether he’s risked Florian’s identity further by telling my hapless sister exactly who’s been living with her these past few moons. But if he hasn’t said anything, I won’t be the one to reveal the secret.
My brother is alive because people don’t know who he is. I intend to keep it that way.
‘Summer, can you take those baskets now, please?’ I tell the maid as she dowses the now-boiled eggs in cold water. ‘And take your time with them.’
She meets my eye with a look of understanding. She knows that I am asking for privacy, and given how she suggested taking gladden root only yesterday, I am confident that she will give it to me.
‘Of course, m’lady. I will just put them in bags so that they are easier to carry.’
Ever the gentleman, Benny surges to his feet. ‘I’ll help you.’
I wish the Wrohelm lords were raised as well as they clearly are in the Eastern Isles.
I. Will. Not. Think. Of. Kyor.
Within a few minutes they have packed up as much as Summer can feasibly carry in one trip, and Benny is heading out of the house with her.
Meaning I have no choice. It’s time I face the newlyweds.
I can hearthe chattering coming from the same room we spoke in the night before – the drawing room. I can’t help but wonder if Jonas chose it because it’s close to the front of the house so he can make a quick exit if he needs to.
The thought would be amusing if it actually helped him. The truth is that it doesn’t matter how close he is to the door if the ice magic decides to rear its head again.
Summer won’t be flying into the room with a pan in her hand this time either. Though maybe now that Kay’s magic has returned, she’ll be able to stop me. Maybe.
Nerves churn through my stomach. Has Jonas already confessed to his father that he stole his bride? Has William seen the rings on his fingers, completely unaware that the woman he will now think of as his sister-in-law is in fact his actual sister?
There’s no way I can know any of those things until I go in there and speak to them.
My hands clench and unclench as I stand outside the door, trying to make sure there’s none of that now scarily familiar chill flooding through my veins. Not that it will make a difference when it comes on so fast anyway.
Still, I’m as calm as I’m going to get considering the fact I’m fucking furious, and hanging around in my own hallway isn’t going to make itany better. So with one last sharp breath in, I step into the drawing room and find them sitting there next to one another, thighs touching.
Jonas immediately jumps to his feet, and my eyes are once again drawn to those three rings on his hand.
‘And here I was hoping it was just a shitty dream,’ I say drily, feeling weary.
‘You wanted a solution that wasn’t marrying Artur,’ Kay spits without preamble, ‘and Jonas found it.’
