Page 58 of Queen of War and Ruin

“Did you know?” I ask in a low voice.

“Know what?”

“Last night the guards said Laurance is going to marry Lilias.”

He stops walking. Shock ripples across his face. If this is an act, it’s damn convincing.

“Was that your doing?” I ask.

“What in the nine hells are you talking about?” Elrick snaps. He glances down at my hand wrapped around my dagger, then glares at me. “Are you threatening me?”

“I’m not⁠—”

“If you hurt me,” he says, “you know she’ll never forgive you.”

I grit my teeth.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” I growl. Unfortunately, my mind adds. “I just want to know exactly how badly you’ve fucked us all over. So, is this part of your plan? Did you meet with Laurance last night and sell my wife to Ethiria?”

Elrick sighs, then pinches the bridge of his nose.

“Zarek,” he says, somehow managing to make my name sound like an insult. “She’s my sister. She said she wants to stay married to you. The gods only know why, but I’m not going to mess with that.”

My mouth falls open. I slam it shut and keep scowling at the prince of Marion.

“Furthermore,” he says, glaring at me, “I wouldn’t sell off my own family. This isn’t Vsenrog.”

He glances over his shoulder, then back to me.

“And, if I remember correctly,” he continues, “coming to Ethiria was your brilliant idea, not mine. So maybe you’re the one who suggested Laurance should marry my sister? Maybe you’re the one getting something out of it?”

I stare at him. Wind gusts over the edge of the cliffs, carrying the heavy scent of low tide. Bird cries echo off cold stone.

“What?” I finally manage to snap.

Footsteps hit the grass behind me. I turn to see Gerard jogging over to us, one hand on his sword.

“Everything okay over here?” Gerard asks as he joins us at the cliff’s edge.

He glares at me in a way that makes it clear the only thing that might be wrong is my presence. Or possibly my very existence.

“You—” I stammer, turning back to Elrick. “You can’t possibly believe that.”

“The only thing I believe,” Elrick says in a low voice, “is that coming to Ethiria was a mistake.”

“Yeah, I’m starting to think you’re right about that one,” Gerard agrees. “And hey, whose idea was that anyway?”

He turns to me with a look that says this entire situation is my fault, and I let myself imagine how incredibly satisfying it would be to finally punch that jackass right in the teeth.

“Anyway,” Gerard says. “They’re letting us head back now. So, let’s pack up.”

Elrick nods. Before he can follow Gerard, I grab his arm. He glares at me.

“I would never hurt Lilias,” I say under my breath.

Elrick pulls out of my grip and then brushes his arm, like I’ve gotten it dirty.

“Well, that makes two of us,” he snaps.