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She stroked one fine, rosy cheekbone, and her humor faded. The urge to protect him rose up in her. She knew he was powerful and dangerous, and that he had survived Tenebra’s ugliness before. But her sudden protective instincts toward her Grace were not interested in such logic.
He smiled. “I’m all right, my rose.”
“Of course you’re not. A Hesperine is never all right when someone dies. And you are never all right when you can’t save someone. Do you want to talk about last night?”
He stroked her hair. “Eudias knows about us.”
The unexpected reply startled Cassia. “What? How did we give ourselves away?”
“We didn’t,” Lio assured her. “He realized when we were all fighting the Collector.”
She relaxed. “Oh. In that case…I’m glad, actually.”
Lio appeared relieved, too. “It’s good to know you feel that way. There was no chance for us to talk and agree on what I should or shouldn’t say to him.”
She ran a hand down his chest. “I’m sure you chose the right words in the moment. Just like you trusted me when I had to tell Perita about us.”
Cassia wondered where her former handmaiden was right now. Her dearest mortal friend and confidant was one of the few people from this kingdom she would miss. By now, Perita would be due to give birth anytime.
She was probably safe in Hadria for her lying in. Would her devoted husband, Callen, get to be with her for the arrival of their first child? Or was he even now serving in his lord’s army in the camp between Patria and the capital?
“You and Eudias faced life and death together, just as Perita and I did. I’m glad you have someone you can talk to about me. You need more friends here. And we need more people we don’t have to hide from.”
“Especially a person who can advise us on how to dissolve betrothals.”
If that advice did not involve storming into Flavian’s solar and antagonizing him, Cassia would be glad for Eudias to give it to Lio. But she was not going to debate with her Grace over what he had done last night, not when she knew he was still hurting from Hamon’s death.
Lio’s gaze darkened. “I heard that, too. Debate with me all you like, my Grace. I have no remorse.”
“But now Flavian knows. He realizes that you want me.”
“Let him.”
“He believes you’re dishonorable and I’m up to something.”
“You are up to something,” Lio said, “and he should be very worried.”
“But this only makes it harder to persuade him to dissolve the betrothal.”
“I have no intention of persuading him. Leaving the decision to him gives him too much power. We will force his hand.”
“Force will only risk turning our allies into enemies.”
“The lords expect me to be a silkfoot buttering Flavian up with diplomatic words. They won’t respect me for that. But they will respect me for standing up to him.”
“Of course they will. They respect male posturing!”
“I can play their games—on the Goddess’s terms,” Lio said.
“Does Eudias have a less provocative suggestion?”
“I am not sure you will find it less provocative. He thinks it might be possible for us to marry.”
She drew back. “Why in Hespera’s name would we do that?”
“It would make the Tenebrans less disapproving of our relationship.”
“We don’t need a wedding to prove anything to them! We don’t need mages of Anthros and Kyria to mutter over us to make an honest woman out of me. Our Union has always been the most honest thing in my life.”
