Page 28 of Queen of War and Ruin

“You did what?” I finally say.

Elrick runs his fingers through his hair. His smile finally twists into something almost apologetic.

“We should have told you,” he says. “You had to leave for Vsenrog so quickly⁠—”

“You married before I even left?” I say, my voice rising like steam from a kettle. I turn to Anura. “You married my brother? Before I was sent away?”

Zarek stiffens beside me. Anura’s cheeks turn even darker.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” she says. “We didn’t want anyone to know.”

I push back from my chair and come to my feet.

“What in the nine hells were you thinking?” I scream.

Elrick stands to face me, but he winces as he comes to his feet. Anura takes his arm.

“I love her,” Elrick says.

I make a sound like an explosion in my mouth.

“Well, good for you!” I yell. “Elrick, you’re royalty. You don’t get to pick and choose! Marriage doesn’t have anything to do with love!”

Elrick’s expression softens into a smile that looks almost like pity.

“But I did,” he says in a soft voice. “I chose Anura. I love her. And I will not marry anyone else.”

“How in the hells are we going to form an alliance now?” I snap.

Elrick shrugs. I want to strangle him. I turn to Zarek, desperate for support. But Zarek looks like he’s just been punched in the stomach. He’s almost as pale as Elrick.

Gods, that’s how stupid my brother is. Even the snake of Vsenrog is speechless.

I want to scream, to rip this whole room apart. I can’t even find the words to tell my brother what a stubborn, shortsighted fool he is.

I stomp out of the room, not giving a single shit about all the sleeping rolls I step on.

Chapter 16

Zarek

SOMEWHERE I DON’T WANT TO GO

Marriage doesn’t have anything to do with love, she said.

I try to breathe, but I feel like there’s a rope around my neck.

No, not a rope. A ribbon. A red silk ribbon. Behind me, the crown prince of Marion and the maid he married are saying something, but I can’t bring myself to care about it. Not right now.

Not as the woman I love slams the door behind her.

Have I ever seen her that angry? I don’t think so. Not on our wedding day. Not when that slimy piece of shit Blayne forced her to drink a potion that almost killed her. Not even when Toth the smuggler tried to claim her mare just because his stallion fucked her.

No. Apparently, what really infuriates my wife is that her brother was able to choose the woman he married.

But she had to marry me.

I come to my feet. The prince of the fallen kingdom of Marion is staring at me. I force myself to smile politely, even as some part of my mind hisses that I don’t need to impress this idiot anymore. He’s not really the prince of anything. Not now.