Page 53 of Queen of War and Ruin

Laurance shrugs as he walks toward me. “I’ll get there eventually,” he says. “There’s no rush. It’s not like the cliffs are going anywhere!”

He laughs at his own joke, then turns to stare at the far corner of the wide patio.

“This is where I’ll have my wedding,” he says. “Lovely view, isn’t it?”

Oh. My breath catches in the back of my throat. That’s why this place looks familiar. I came here as a child, with my nursemaid. She waved her hand over the cold stone and said this was where I would marry the prince. It just all looked so much bigger in my memories.

I smile and nod.

“It is beautiful,” I say. “I remember it now.”

Laurance finally turns to me.

“Where did your brother find his bride?” he asks.

My hands twist at my waist. I can’t admit Anura was a serving girl, but I can’t exactly lie either.

“Oh,” I finally reply, smiling wide, “he’s known her for years.”

Laurance frowns, then turns back to the patio, and I thank any gods who might be listening that he doesn’t seem interested enough to ask any further questions.

“I was supposed to marry you,” Laurance says suddenly, like the thought just occurred to him.

I make a low, agreeable hum in the back of my throat.

“My father kept delaying it,” he continues. “He said he didn’t want Marion messing around with us!”

Laurance laughs again, like this is another joke. I blink.

I was never certain why my marriage to Laurance kept getting delayed. Elrick blamed our father, and our father blamed the king of Ethiria. I didn’t ask questions, for fear that any curiosity on my part would be interpreted as enthusiasm for the match. To be honest, I would have been delighted if Ethiria kept putting off the wedding for the rest of my life.

Laurance turns back to me, staring directly at my chest. Panic climbs the back of my spine with sharp little claws.

“You’re still marriable,” he announces.

“I’m married,” I reply.

“We’re supposed to be allied with Marion,” Laurance says, as if he didn’t hear a word I said. “And I suppose a second marriage is better than no marriage. At least you’re royalty. And it would be good of me to show some charity, you know, with your kingdom falling into ruin and all that.”

“I’m already married,” I repeat.

Prince Laurance finally looks at me. It’s the way men who came to the Marion stables looked at the horses they were thinking of buying. Panic pulls tight around my throat, like an invisible rope cutting off my air.

“I don’t think the snake is very popular in Vsenrog anymore,” Laurance says, with a nasty little smile. “And, hells, they’re saying you started the war because you were so desperate to be with me. So, why not?”

“I am married!” I cry.

Laurance frowns like he doesn’t understand what I’m talking about. Gods above, would I really have married him? Even if I was forced into the temple, could I have looked into his eyes and said the words?

“But you’re married to the snake,” Laurance replies. “He’s not even from Vsenrog.”

“He’s my husband,” I say.

Laurance waves his hand in the air like he’s brushing away my words. “I know women have trouble thinking strategically,” he says.

I sputter an objection, but Laurance just keeps talking.

“But, if you consider your options,” he says, “which you really should, since you’re the princess, allying with Ethiria makes far more sense. Or are you, uh—” His voice cuts off, and he looks like he’s about to be sick. “You’re not expecting, are you? Because that would be a problem.”