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“Pour yourself some wine first,” he says gruffly.

Once seated, I wait for him to speak.

“A toast.”

I can finally breathe again.

This is a betrothal agreement we are discussing. Not a secondary concern any longer, but one that drove me so hard this day. Cettina asked that I remind everyone why she chose me as commander. But I did not win for her today. I did so out of respect for this very man, and for his daughter.

“To a new alliance,” he says, lifting his goblet.

“A new alliance,” I agree.

Both of us drink, although he finishes first. “And if you ever lie to me again, I will serve your bollocks to the queen on a platter, commander or nay.”

I nearly spit out my wine.

Thankfully, though Moray isn’t exactly smiling, the twinkle in his eyes leads me to believe he is, possibly, jesting. Or not. It is hard to discern.

Either way, I refuse to make a promise I cannot keep.

“My allegiance will be to your daughter first, as it’s been these past weeks. Barring that, I would never lie to you, Lord Moray.”

I can’t tell if the answer pleases him or angers him even more, but it matters not. It is the only answer I have.

“She deserved to know,” I press, realizing I may well be making matters worse.

Moray’s grunt indicates he clearly does not agree.

“Tell me of the Elderman,” he says.

Moray already knew the details of that morning’s meeting. But after Reyne agreed to become my wife—and then proceeded to give back every hard-earned prize I’d won that day, a gesture that pleased me more than she realized—we had little time to celebrate.

While Moray made arrangements for a small ceremony within Ledenhill’s hall for the next day, all understanding the necessity of a quick return to the capital, I set off with Warin, Elliott, and six other Moray men.

Men who proved unnecessary.

“He was alone, just as he claimed he would be. He warned of another attack in one month’s time.”

“Do you believe him?”

“It matters not. Either way, we must send men to Firley Dinch. Either to stop an attack or defend against one. Neither of which will please the queen.” Firley Dinch, the Merian border town, is one of the largest on either side of the Terese River.

Indeed, Cettina and the Curia will be enraged to learn that the attack on Saitford was no border dispute at all, but a concerted attempt to drag Edingham into a war with Meria, also engaged in by the Prima and several Highland lords.

And it is going to happen again.

“He could not have known, or planned for us to be in those woods this morn.”

“How did he find you?”

There was only one answer that I could discern.

“I doubt not the man is a Shadow Warrior. Though why he works against the Prima now, I do not know. Mayhap the killing of innocents swayed him?”

Moray scowls. “If he is truly a Shadow Warrior, no death is more abhorrent than disobedience to the Prima.”

I silently agree. They were trained to fight for and protect the Prima beyond all other duties. But I have no other explanation.