Reagan finished his meal, pretending not to notice the way she slowed, her gaze drifting to the tulip as if absorbing the idea.
“What do you think?” he asked finally, his voice quiet but eager. “Would you like to change the world with me, Jane love? Is this a worthy use of your time?”
She rolled her eyes, though her smile betrayed her. Her expression grew more contemplative, and he guessed she was thinking of her family.
Jane sighed, turning to him again. “I suppose it’s not aboutwantingit. We have to, and hope we can make a small difference so that in the future, children won’t have to lie.”
Reagan, loving her all the more, nodded. “They won’t.”
Chapter 48
Jane
“Aren’t you nervous about standing there?” Joy whispered beside me, her voice low under the murmur of citizens crowding the chamber.
“What do you think?” I replied rhetorically. A flutter rippled through my stomach. “But I will have to do it and try to look good at it.”
“You might not want to be too good,” Gwin added, sounding far too delighted. “Otherwise Reagan will dump every Audience on you.”
Astrid, leaning against the stone pillar next to Gwin, looked amused, holding on to a laugh lest it echo through the chamber.
I tried not to let the sea of bodies intimidate me. The only time I had ever stood before this many people was when I danced at the theatre in town. Even then, several dancers flanked me, and the crowd had been barely a quarter of the citizens gathered now.
Reagan stood on the dais in a ceremonial charcoal robe layered over his clothes, speaking to the crowd with an ease thatmade me wonder if he ever felt nervous. If he did, he disguised well.
“Perhaps this is something I could realistically take while he is warding the estate,” I murmured, thinking aloud.
Gwin shot me a look. “He doesn’t ward the estate alone. He just feeds the borders from time to time.” She waved a hand in dismissal. “You still think far too highly of him. Maybe because of whatever he’s doing in your bedroom.”
My face caught fire. If anyone had overheard her, it would be my body walking up to that dais alone while my soul fled far away.
“There is no filter on you, Gwinifer,” I said and glanced at Astrid. “How do you deal with this all the time?”
The battle mage considered for a moment. “I find Gwinifer’s honesty refreshing, actually.”
Gwin smirked like she had won something and winked at me.
I shook my head. “You are your brother’s sister.”
“There is news we would like to share,” Reagan announced, his voice carrying steadily across the chamber.
My pulse quickened.
“As of last week, Mountheim and I have been granted a great honour. Our future is no longer what it was months ago, and we have reason to acknowledge that change. I say this not because I forgot that we are still recovering, or the tragedy that befell the Foleys. We’re still grieving with them. But I believe Mountheim is capable of turning for the better.”
A bead of sweat slid down my back beneath the sweater and charcoal robe.
Reagan turned, his gaze finding me instantly. In the light flooding the chamber, his expression was composed, assured. It steadied my heartbeat.
He dipped his chin.
I stepped forward, the distance to the dais suddenly too long. But his eyes didn’t leave mine, carrying me the rest of the way.
The chamber had gone unnervingly still. I was aware of the scrape of fabric, the faint shuffle of feet.
Reagan’s fingers closed around mine. His voice was low as if directed only to me, yet I knew it echoed off the stone walls. “Meet your future Lady, Jane Darling.”
I felt the weight of their gazes turn to me, felt the room take me in all at once.
