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Chloé makes apfftsound before shrugging. “This extremely mild line of questioningispreparation compared to what Maman will do tomorrow.”
She flops down onto the settee, before patting the spot next to her for a very perturbed Remy. “Come on now, big brother. Stop fretting like an old maid. It’s just us.”
He takes the seat next to her, and she playfully pushes his shoulder.
“When did you become so crotchety?” she teases.
“When my vexatious sisters decided to interrupt my honeymoon with endless, annoying questions.” He narrows his eyes at her, and she laughs.
I get the feeling they’re the closest, but it’s one of many things we have never talked about.
The monkey has finally decided to take a chance on Gisele, tentatively hopping from my fair hand to her tan one. The glittering ring she’s wearing on her middle finger probably has something to do with his willingness, but I decide to let her figure that out on her own.
“Consider this a practice lesson for tomorrow,” Margot says, looking at me.
“Her questions will be less direct, though, thinly veiled as open-ended statements,” Chloé adds. “If she isn’t still convinced that you are waiting to murder our brother in his sleep, she will probably be just as cautious because of what happened with Lady Delmara.”
I put on a self-deprecating smile. “I must have missed that, what with all the excitement of the wedding, honeymoon, and my time in the dungeons just before that…”
Remy side-eyes me, knowing full well that I’m fishing for information.
“Oh, right,” Gisele’s voice cuts in. “Well, it’s not exactly a secret. Lady Delmara is usually so kind—”
I suppress a snort, but only just barely.
“But she was furious when she got here that night,” the girl continues. “She tried asking Maman to release you and when that didn’t work, she…made some threats.”
I don’t have to feign the shock that overtakes my features. It’s not unheard of for a lord or lady with the kind of clout Mother has to throw their weight around to get results, but it’s a tremendous oversight forherto do it.
It’s a reminder that she has chinks in her armor.
And though it still twists something inside me to think about betraying her, I can’t deny a small surge of hope that blossoms there as well.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-SIX
ZAINA
Tonight has been yet another endless exercise in waiting uselessly while Einar joins the court for dinner. I have never minded being alone, but playing the ghost of his wife, locked up in our suites when the women of court are fawning all over him is grating. To say the least.
At least I have Helga for company tonight, though neither of us is in a talkative mood.
Khijhana rests her head in my lap, as though reminding me of her presence as well. I run a hand over her whiskers, scratching the spot behind her ear that she loves so much. She preens for a minute until her eyes snap abruptly to the door.
Helga looks up from where she’s finishing her meal, her hand on her sword just as Einar enters. Gunnar follows behind him.
He shrugs one shoulder at me before heading toward his bedroom. Helga shoves a final bite of her dinner into her mouth, then darts up to take her evening shift as guard in the hall.
Einar is far too pleased as she shuts the door, leaving just the two of us in the room. A cocky half-grin tugs his lips upward, and there is a slight blush in his cheeks.
“Jean broke out the good wine again, didn’t he?” I roll my eyes, trying to stamp out the irritation that comes with the knowledge that I spent my evening stressing and alone while he overindulged with his friend.
“Now, why would you say that?”
In spite of myself, his deep voice rattles my bones and floods my core with warmth. He’s in front of me in three long strides, kneeling before me by the fire and adjusting his body so that he rests between my knees.
“Because it always does this to you,” I say, gesturing to all of him.
He catches my hand in his, pulling my fingers to his wine-stained lips and pressing a kiss against them.
