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His horse pranced under him, and he loosened his hand on his reins as if with an effort. “Think about the effect this will have on Irene.”
“I have no sympathy for her.”
“This will hurt Sabina far worse than our betrothal!” Flavian protested.
“As I told you, she is quite in favor of the plan.”
“Doesn’t she understand I’m doing this for her? For us?”
“I fail to see how staying betrothed to another woman and opposing her family’s choice for the throne will benefit her.”
“Her father doesn’t care that I am Segetian—well, at least, he might be willing to forgive it, in the name of peace. The reason he does not respect me is that I have obeyed orders all my life instead of fighting for something. And he will never let a man he does not respect near his daughter.”
“Then win his respect. Support Solia. Court Sabina properly.”
“Don’t you understand the position you’ve placed me in? If I stand down now and surrender the throne I’ve fought for, I will look as if I’m giving in to Solia, just as I always have to her father and mine. The only way to win Hadrian’s respect is to fight for the crown—and to do that, I have to fight you. The betrothal is the only weapon I have.”
Cassia shook her head. “If you think there are no circumstances in which Lord Hadrian would respect you for surrendering, you do not understand the position he’s been in with King Lucis all these years.”
“Well, he will find himself in a different position with me as king. If the title of queen isn’t a worthy bride price for his daughter, I don’t know what is.”
“A crown does not make you a man of honor, and your honor is all that matters to him. Don’t make me destroy it. Release me from my betrothal at the feast tonight, or I will have no choice but to circulate explicit letters between you and Irene. Think of how Sabina’s father will feel when he reads those.”
She had never seen Flavian so angry. The blacker parts of her heart enjoyed every pulse of the vein in his forehead and the grimace that had wiped the charming smile off of his face.
“No,” he said.
“What?” Cassia demanded. She has been so sure this would work.
“I will face your false accusations like a man,” Flavian said, “and I will keep you bound to me until I am certain you are no longer a threat.”
Cassia’s chest felt tight and hot, and sweat broke out between her shoulder blades. She was so angry, she felt a rare urge to strike Flavian. But she would not give him the satisfaction of seeing her lose control.
“You will regret this,” she warned him. “In this game of the Cruel Inquisitor and Kind Inquisitor, I am the kind one.”
“Oh, I have no doubt. No one knows how to be crueler to me than Sabina.”
But Cassia was not talking about Sabina. She was talking about her Grace. She was so angry that the next time Lio suggested a drastic way of getting her out of this betrothal, she would make no attempt to persuade him not to do it.
Her next plan took shape in her mind.
“I will make you an alternative offer,” she said.
He looked suspicious, but replied, “I’m listening.”
“I will refrain from circulating the letters on the following conditions. First, you will not require me or my sister to dance with you this Autumn Greeting. Second, once our betrothal is eventually dissolved—whenever in the future that finally occurs—you will not stand in the way of me sharing the promise dance with another. If I ever dance with someone else on the Autumn Equinox, you will attest to it being a valid promise of betrothal.”
“Well, well. You are showing your hand.”
Cassia concealed her tension behind a haughty expression and reached down to scratch Knight’s ear. Surely Flavian did not suspect what she was really planning.
“I knew it,” he said. “You’ve always planned to cease this Kyrian maiden act when it suits you. Your sister has a political marriage in mind for you already, doesn’t she? Some Imperial, no doubt.”
Cassia could have laughed with relief. The extent of Flavian’s suspicion was an Imperial prince. Not a Hesperine.
She didn’t think Tendo would mind if she referenced his mighty reputation for a little embellishment. “I’ll have you know, I am very close friends with Prince Tendeso of the Sandira Kingdom. He has promised me introductions to the many eligible suitors in his extended family. You should see the Sandira warriors fight. One of them could disembowel you in five minutes.”
“I hope you and Sabina enjoy your fantasies.”
