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I wasn’t wrong, either. As soon as the meal finished, and it seemed safe enough for me to leave without “offending” anyone, I rose from my chair and strode—not fled, but very masculinely strode—from the hall.
Once I found myself alone in the corridor, I picked up my pace, thinking that if only I could make it back to my room before Allera did, I could bar the door against her for the rest of the night. Because I definitely wasn’t in the mood for another lecture from my sister, again.
I hurried around one corner, and then another before I almost plowed directly into the woman who stood, waiting for me, scowl in place and arms crossed over her chest as the toe of her slipper peeked out from the hem of her dress where she tapped it ominously against the floor.
Dammit. Why did she have to learn her way around this place faster than I had?
“Sister,” I said casually, even though my breath was a bit winded from the pace I’d been keeping.
“Brother,” she bit out before she reached forward and grabbed my ear. “Have you lost your damn mind?”
Chapter 10
Vienne
After I was able to keep Nicolette and Yasmin from having a cat fight right there at the dinner table, Caulder and Soren began to discuss trading regulations with our neighbors.
“All I’m saying,” Soren argued, lifting his hands, “is that raising taxes a single pence on the pound won’t make that big of a difference.”
“Except it does when the kingdoms ordering from us are requesting thousands of pounds at a time,” Caulder shot back. “Far Shore is already complaining about the prices we do charge, and we charge them less than any other realm.”
“Pfft.” Soren shook his head and rolled his eyes. “Then I guess they can buy their clear rock from someone else. Oh, wait.” He dramatically slapped the palm of his hand against his forehead. “That’s right. No one else makes clear rock, so they’ll just have to suck it up and keep paying what we quote them if they truly want it that bad, which they do. Everyone wants what we have. We should profit from that.”
I opened my mouth to respond, only to close it again, because I didn’t figure Soren would appreciate it if I mentioned how I’d heard a rumor about the kingdom of Corandra successfully producing their own version of clear rock. My sources said it wasn’t nearly as smooth or transparent as our clear rock, but soon—within mere years—I doubted our clear rock would be any better.
If I mentioned any of this, however, Soren would only want to know where I’d heard such nonsense, and I wouldn’t be able to answer him, so he’d only shrug my concerns off as completely irrelevant. Or he’d point out that Corandra was too busy fighting off an invasion from the kingdom of Blair to even worry about them as a rival.
He never seemed to worry about other realms hating us; he only pontificated about how money was the end-all, be-all. And while, yes, a profit was nice, of course, I also thought keeping inter-kingdom relations at a good standing might suit us better for when the time came that we did have worthy, legitimate competition selling clear rock.
Caulder glanced my way as if he could hear my mental disagreement with my husband, and he must’ve seen it in my eyes as well, because his shoulders relaxed as if he were settled by the fact that he had some support in his corner for not raising our trading tariff.
Clasping his hands on the top of the table next to his finished meal, he eyed my husband solemnly before saying, “Though I appreciate your concerns for our profit margin, Cousin, I don’t wish to change the price at this time. Not until a need arises, anyway.”
“Then you’re a damn fool,” Soren growled, shoving up from his chair as he glared back at Caulder. “Mark me, this is a grave mistake.” Then he transferred his glare to me as if blaming me for the king’s decision before he marched from the dining hall.
I glanced toward Caulder, only to watch his jaw tense noticeably as he stared after Soren. His cousin was the only person he allowed to talk to him with such anger and disrespect. I wondered if that was because Soren was older. If his own father hadn’t been born mere minutes before Soren’s, then Soren would be sitting on the Donnelly throne right now.
But the king shouldn’t let such things bother him. He was the one in charge, and he needed to fulfill his duty to his people despite Soren’s blustering rants.
“You made the right decision,” I told him, thinking he needed to hear it. And when his gaze flashed to me, he nodded, looking grateful that I’d spoken up.
Between us, Yasmin sent me a sharp scowl before turning to her husband as well and stroking his arm. “Yes, of course, you did, darling. All your decisions are most wise.”
Caulder pressed his hand over hers and smiled affectionately. “Thank you, my dear.”
I glanced across the table to see if Brentley would have a say in the subject, as well. He usually put in his opinion after Caulder had made a judgment call. But I was startled to find Brentley gone. Everyone on the other side of the table—Nicolette and the two High Cliff siblings included—had already departed for the evening.
Feeling suddenly strange about being the only other person left in the room along with Caulder and Yasmin—especially when he leaned in to kiss her softly on the lips—I removed my napkin from my lap and set it quietly on the table.
When I stood, I had to push my seat way out to be able to stand without my belly hitting the edge. But the chairs were so terribly large and heavy I had trouble moving them, so a kind servant waiting against the wall hurried forward to help me.
I shot him a grateful smile, only to catch sight of one of those love marks tattooed to the corner of his eye. He must’ve recently come over with the prince and princess from High Cliff. His mark, however, was red in color, where I swear the prince’s ink was black.
Curiosity reigned, but I refrained from asking him what the difference was.
Feeling strangely restless, I decided to take some fresh air outside before retiring to my room, so I turned in the opposite direction than I usually went as I left the dining hall. But I didn’t get far before I found myself approaching lowered voices ahead, both hissed in anger.
I slowed to a stop, not wanting to intrude on what was obviously a personal conversation. Except, when I started to turn around and head back the other way, some of the words reached my ear.
