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“Did you find anything interesting in your book?” Fane asked, nodding back towards it. She was grateful for him changing the conversation. She’d begun to get uncomfortable.
“Not that I could understand. Your political system seems convoluted.”
“That it is. It almost makes less sense than a monarchy based on the weather,” he quipped.
“I suppose you may have a point there. But the systems are what they are. We can either try to understand that, or not. Personally, I want to understand it. I believe it’ll make me a better ruler when the time comes. And able to forge better relationships with the other paranormals around.”
“Well said,” he acknowledged. “Want to practice now? If there’s anything missing from your elvish knowledge, then I can fill you in.”
“And you’re okay with that?” she checked. She couldn’t forget that ultimately he was here with a treaty, and therefore was automatically placed against her in the agenda they were working towards.
Kind of, anyway. She was sure his aims were similar to hers. That he wanted peace and something useful between their people.
“Yes, I’m okay with that. I feel like I might actually get our people somewhere with you at the helm.”
“You should keep in mind that I don’t have any power to make the final say,” she pointed out, dreading to think what would happen if her mother overturned all of this. It was her prerogative as Queen, but that would mean nothing in Aledwen’s heart.
“I know. But you can certainly argue our case.”
“I can try.” It was all she could really say, there were too many possible variables in play for her to say for definite one way or another.
“Thank you.” He passed her one of the pieces of parchment, and she took it carefully, before pouring over it. Her brows furrowing together as she took in the words there.
“Is this for real?” she asked, shock coming through in her voice.
“Yes, unfortunately so.”
“He realises what this means?” She couldn’t believe what the elvish High Lord was after.
“Unfortunately, yes.”
“It could start another fae war.” She knew she was continuing to point out the obvious, but the shock was too much for her to actually handle.
“I feared as much. Is there any way we can avoid it?”
“Not if he wants to marry a fae princess. The summer and winter princesses are married already, and the autumn princess is missing. Which leaves...” It left her. She’d be the fae princess he was after. But that’d cause an imbalance in the fae courts, especially as she’d already reached eighteen.
“No.”
“I’m sorry?”
“I don’t want him to have you.” Fane looked at her with a mixture of admiration and confusion. There was clearly something odd going on.
“That’s very sweet and all, but I guess it isn’t your decision to make.”
She re-read the treaty, dread twisting about in her stomach.
“Maybe not, but it is yours.”
“Yes, it is,” she acknowledged. “And it’s something I can’t go through with. But we need to find a way around that without risking starting some kind of war. I don’t think your High Lord would take kindly to a straight out no.”
“You’re right, I don’t think he would.” Something dark crossed over Fane’s face, and it was so at odds with the rest of how his demeanor had been that she was surprised to say the least.
“How well do you know him?” she asked, suddenly very intrigued.
“Too well. You don’t want to end up with him.”
“I don’t want to end up with anyone I don’t love,” she pointed out.
