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Valin’s lips spread in a thin line of a smile, one that didn’t reach his eyes, “Well then,” he said, “Kade,” he nodded, “Your Majesty,” he bowed, “A pleasure.”
As he raised his head, his gaze flickered again to my hand—only for an instant. Inconspicuous. But I knew he had looked. Perhaps checking to see if the ring still remained on my finger.
He gave me the chills.
Kade, sensing something was off, rubbed warmth back into my arms, “You really don’t like him, do you?”
I shook my head, “I don’t.”
He sighed long and loud, “Well then neither do I. If you think there’s something he’s hiding, I’ll find out what it is.”
I stepped back from him, examining the mirth in his eyes. Finding only a determined though subdued flame within them. My heart leapt, “Do you mean that?”
“I do,” Kade began, leading me into the infirmary, “I may not like it, but I see how he affects you. I’d like to settle the matter once and for all.”
A relieved sigh had my tightened shoulders relaxing, falling back to where they belonged on either side of my neck instead of my ears. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet,” he whispered as we approached the main healing room, “You could be wrong.”
But I wasn’t. I couldn’t explain how I knew it. I just did. Valin was notright.He would see. They would all see, and then we could be rid of him.
“Liana,” Aisling said, opening the door to her shared chambers. The older healer was still in the main healing chamber, mixing elixirs and tidying the space. She had showed us the way to the healers’ bedchambers—with more than a little ire, before stomping back to her duties.
“What are you doing here?”
“I need your help,” I said, and her eyebrows furrowed, regarding Kade at my side. Worry tightened the muscles in her jaw.
I shook my head, “I need to borrow some clothes,” I explained, before she ran away with her own theories about the kind of help I needed.
But she only looked more confused, her lips parting and perfect brows lowering further over her eyes. “Have you tired of extravagant gowns?” she asked, the jesting nature of the question bringing a smile to my lips. “I’d be happy to trade wardrobes with you anytime you like.”
“I tired of them a long time ago,” I laughed, stepping into the room as she opened the door wide for us to enter, “You’re welcome to my wardrobe any time.”
He eyes lit, “What sort of clothes do you need. I really don’t see why you would want to wear anything so—so…”
“Normal,” I offered.
“Well, I was going to sayboring,” she said with a wink.
I wasn’t sure if she should know of my plans to go to the memorial either. It felt safest keeping the information only between myself and my males. “I have my reasons,” I said, winking to soften the blow of dishonesty.
Aisling rushed over to open her armoire. It was small. Not more than a box of wood squatting in the corner of the room. “I don’t have much,” she said, and at once I was thinking of ways to remedy that.
Darius. Yes, I would have Darius make her a few new dresses to say thank you.
She rummaged through an unkempt pile of clothing resting on the shelves. “Anything more from Valin?” I inquired.
“Not yet,” she said without turning around, “But he’s asked to see me again—tonight.”
Kade coughed to hide a laugh. I rolled my eyes and gave him a pointed glare. In so many words, he had said he thought Aisling to be a whore. But he was wrong about her.
“Don’t snicker at me you big oaf,” she said, turning from her digging only for a moment to give him a glare of her own.
I laughed at her callousness, watching Kade’s eyes widen and ears turn vibrant red.
“The mighty Kade,” Aisling teased, “Did he tell you I’m theonlyfemale in this palace who’s ever turned him down.”
My jaw clamped shut, “No, he didn’t.” I turned to Kade for an answer, or maybe an explanation, but he seemed preoccupied with a stain at the floor near his boots.
