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“Have you come to see us off?” March asked as he got closer.
“Are you leaving then?”
“We’ve done our part. The Society is giving the House of Medallion a reward for our work here.” He beamed. “And I’ll be awarded a medal of honor.”
March, the war hero. Just great.
“Congratulations,” she said. “We’ll remain for a few days to clean up.”
“Hear, hear,” he said with a laugh.
It was maybe the most normal conversation that they’d ever had. He was jubilant. Not an ounce of the venom that he’d had that night at the winter Season party in Rosemont. If she didn’t know he was a snake, she might have even enjoyed his company.
“Well, I’ll just…” She gestured away.
“No need to run off,” he said, catching her hand. “We got off on the wrong foot. You’ve lived your life, and I’ve lived mine. I want to apologize for how I acted this winter. I was… jealous.” He ducked his head, as if he were a fool in love. Gods, he was a triumphant actor.
“It’s fine,” she said, pulling herself free. “I was under an immense amount of stress from the Society. I wasn’t myself.”
“I realize that. You’re brilliant,” he said with a smile. She looked at the edges, waiting to see it for false, but it wasn’t there. “I watched you flying and in battle. I have never met a woman such as yourself. If you’d permit, I would like to get to know you more, my lady.”
“I thought that you didn’t care about me,” she said, anger returning to her voice. How dare he treat her like trash and threaten her people, only to try to court her favor.
“Can’t we do this in a way that’s more agreeable?” he asked, stepping forward. “You are as fierce and deadly and beautiful as a nightshade. Truly, I am besotted, Lady Argon. We are to be joined. It does not have to be unpleasant.”
She swallowed and watched herself swimming in his blue irises. How easy it would be to love this man if he were anyone else. He had spoken the words to entrap her, not understanding that he had already lost every single ounce of her goodwill at a party on Geivhrea.
But she had taken strategy classes in her government courses the last year. They had taught her all the history and philosophy of modern warfare. Perhaps what was happening with March was no different. A new sort of war. And if she wanted to win, to keep herself from being weak ever again, then she had one job. Convince him that she wanted this too.
Slowly, she released her anger and looked to the ground and then up at him through dark lashes. All the coquettish lessons she’d suffered through with Darby coming in handy.
“Maybe it could work out,” she said softly. “I would like that.”
His smile only brightened. And then to her shock, he grasped her around the waist and planted a firm kiss on her lips. She gasped, and he took advantage of the opportunity to slide his tongue in and meet hers. Every instinct in her body told her to escape, to scramble away. Instead, she went loose as jelly in his embrace and told her mind she could endure one kiss to get away from him forever.
Cheers and catcalls and whistles rose up from the army all around them. The Bryonican soldiers seeing exactly what they wanted. Their general planting one on his intended, their future lady. Maybe their future queen.
He released her slowly, a lustful smile on his pretty lips. She staggered backward with a forced laugh.
“I shall see you at the spring Season,” he called out to her as she fled. “Then, we will discuss wedding dates.”
The crowd cheered louder. She had to keep the embarrassed smile on her face for ages. It wasn’t until she was safely ensconced in her own tent that she let it slip, and anger covered everything else. She would beat March at his own game. She would bury him before this was over.
As promised, Benton and Bayton appeared at her tent the morning the Society intended to return to Kinkadia. Her eyes filled with tears when she saw them. She rushed forward and threw her arms around her friends. “They let you out.”
“All thanks to you, my lady,” Benton said.
“We’d still be displaced without your help,” Bayton added.
“Kerrigan. It’s just Kerrigan from now on. You’re no one’s attendant anymore.”
Benton and Bayton exchanged glances. Benton spoke up, “Actually, miss, if you’d please, we would like to work for you as our thanks.”
Kerrigan gaped. “What? I… I don’t think that I can cover your expenses. Plus, I live in the mountain, but I don’t have my own quarters yet. I was going to help you find work.”
Bayton waved that all aside. “We understand the circumstances, but we still feel that we owe you our support. And truly, you need some looking after.”
