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“I need some air,” Prisca mumbled, getting to her feet.
She glanced around the table, eyes skating over my form and landing on Rekja.
He stood, offering his arm. “Allow me to escort you to the gardens.”
She gave him a shaky smile and wrapped her hand around his arm. Sparks jumped off my skin, and I wrestled my power, shoving it down deep. I could feel Eryndan’s amusement as he watched me watching them. Good.
“I noticed some unique statues in the courtyard,” Prisca said softly to Rekja as they walked past me. “Would you show them to me?”
“Of course.”
I repressed my every instinct, tamping down the rage that burned through my body. Ignoring Eryndan’s low laugh, I allowed them to leave together.
* * *
Rekja was polite and charming. He led me through the courtyard, staying quiet while I collected myself. Eventually, he seemed unable to handle the silence—and my quiet sniffles—because he launched into a story about the time he’d embarrassed the king at a dinner. Eryndan had ordered him to clean every statue in the courtyard, and Rekja had worked with one of his best friends to create a spell to do the work for them.
Only, that spell had blown the head off his father’s favorite statue—a war hero from Gromalia’s earliest days.
I chuckled, genuinely amused. Rekja was…kinder than I’d expected. I’d only known him for a few hours, but he seemed mildly embarrassed by his father. And yet, if he had any conflicting thoughts about Regner, he was keeping them to himself.
I didn’twantto complicate his life. Didn’t want to make him an enemy.
“When it came to her kingdom, there was nothing your motherwouldn’tdo.”
Rekja had been raised by his father. The man who was sending the hybrids back to Regner to burn. I might like him as a person, but I had no proof he wouldn’t do the exact same if he ever took that throne from his father.
Unless I began to make life exceedingly difficult for him.
“Nelayra?”
Taking a deep breath, I smiled up at the prince. He’d stepped closer, and I raised my hand, allowing my fingers to trail through the ends of his red hair.
Surprise flashed across his face, and he caught my hand in his. “Are you attempting to encourage your lover to kill me?”
I shook my head, taking a tiny step closer. And that was when Rekja turned his head to our left.
The Eprothan ambassador stood on the other side of the courtyard, his eyes flinty. Hopefully, he was mentally noting just how close the prince and I stood.
Rekja tightened his hold on my hand as he glanced at the ambassador. “You’re much better at scheming than I gave you credit for.”
I smiled sunnily at him. “Why is it that men are considered to be cunning planners, while women are usually called conniving schemers, do you think?”
Despite the dull fury in Rekja’s eyes, his mouth twitched. “Your fae prince will have his hands full with you.”
It was my turn to go still, and he shook his head at me. “You’ll need to control that weakness before my father uses it to control you.”
I tipped my head back and let my laugh ring out across the courtyard. In the corner of my eye, I caught the ambassador’s mouth twist as he raised a hand, gesturing for a messenger. With any hope, the rumors I’d started would also reach the ambassador’s ears tonight. The rumors of an impending engagement between the Gromalian prince and the hybrid heir.
Rekja gave a long-suffering sigh. “Are you finished?”
“For now.” I allowed him to lead me back toward the castle.
“My father has never been one to think clearly when his back is against the wall.”
“I figured.”
“I don’t think you’re hearing what I’m saying.” Rekja stopped and leaned close, lowering his voice. “Pushing him won’t get you what you’re looking for.”
