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“One can only hope,” I groan, but he ignores me.
“A weak king would back down from the obstacles placed in his way,” he goes on, squeezing my shoulder with his meaty fingers for reassurance. “A strong king would accept any and everything that comes his way with certainty.”
I inhale deeply and huff it out.
Fuck, I hate it when he’s right.
“I’m not saying you have to fall in love and live happily ever after.” He shakes his head and retracts his hand, turning and continuing down the hall. I follow his lead, clinging to the hope his words inspire. “I’m not even saying you have to like her, but you have to make this work one way or another. Can you imagine life if Orabelle became queen instead? We would never survive the torture.”
The thought forces a chuckle from my chest, which relieves some of the furious tension between my shoulders, and I find myself almost appreciative of Oryx’s company, although I still want to hit him for good measure.
“That would be terrible, wouldn’t it?” I agree. “What about you? You wouldn’t want to be king if my marriage fails miserably and no one else wants to marry me?”
He hesitates again, waiting until I look in his direction to answer. “You joke about it a lot, but you and I both know I’m not cut out to be a leader. Advisor, sure. Follower, probably. You and Zen are the only ones with the guts to run this place. Anyone else would drive it into the ground within a year.”
Okay, sometimes I don’t mind it when Oryx is right.
The fact he has so much faith in me is reassuring.
Maybe I can do this after all.
Perhaps being married to a human isn’t the worst thing. To an outsider, I will seem sympathetic. Accepting. Not exactly in line with my father’s iron-fist rule, but I’m not nearly as callous as he is. Regardless of my bride’s descent, that will never change.
I am compassionate, even if it runs veryverydeep in my veins.
“Have you heard what any of the guests have to say about her?” I ask, curiosity getting the better of me as we round a corner. We’re making one big circle which will lead us straight back to the doors of the ballroom.
Not surprisingly, we haven’t run into anyone since we stepped into the hall. The castle staff are either attending the wedding or have turned in for the night.
Oryx shakes his head. “Not really.”
“What does that mean?” I’m not convinced. Oryx is one of the nosiest people I know, aside from Orabelle. If anyone’s said anything, he’s bound to know about it.
“A few of them were a little surprised by the choice, given that there are so many available ladies in Ulleh,” he explains. “No one has been overtly negative. You know they won’t say anything here to risk getting thrown out of the celebration.”
Too true. If they’re going to gossip, they’ll probably wait until they’re outside the castle walls.
“That’s… comforting.” I struggle to find the right word.
“Clearly the noblemen appreciate her,” he says, bumping me with his shoulder. “I’m sure there’s a line waiting to dance with her. Most of them have never even seen a human.”
I grind my teeth as the image of her slinking off with a smirk on her face comes to mind, and the jealous sensation swirls to life in my chest again. Perhaps Iamjealous that she’s getting attention from other men. After all, she’s mine. What’s mine doesn’t belong in the hands of other men, despite etiquette.
A new ruler can instill new rules, and although I’m not a ruler yet, I already know the first order of business when the crown lands between my horns.
No one touches what’s mine.
“Zen was mumbling something under his breath before the ceremony,” Oryx drones on, and I realize I’ve missed a chunk of what he said while I was preoccupied. “Something about Hyatt and irony, but you know I normally tune him out.”
I nod along, pretending I’ve been listening the entire time, and we land back at the ballroom entrance.
“Feel any better?” he asks, looking hopeful.
“I do, actually.”
He arches a single eyebrow at me. “Not going to ruin the night because of your temper, are you?”
An unforced smile finds my face. “I’m not making any promises.”
