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“It’s not about how handsome he is. I’m just not going to marry him. He’s welcome to come and visit if you think he’d enjoy Arast, and I’m sure we can find someone to marry to him if we need to. But we don’t need to—our alliance with Vinte is already strong enough.”
“Well, yes,” Zeliha admitted. “But oh, Kadou! I thought you’d like him! I went looking specifically for someone you would like. I thought being married might give you something to do.” She was cajoling him a little, as if she thought this was up for negotiation. She gave him a reproachful, imploring look. “I already invited him to visit. You don’t want to even meet him? Just to see?”
“I have things to do,” Kadou said firmly. “I’m going to go to Sirya.”
“Sirya?” Zeliha tilted her head, further bewildered. “What’s there to do in Sirya? It’s barely a village. Has something happened? Does it need overseeing?”
“No, but I need it. I’ll be gone for a month or two, and I’ll come back just after the harvest is in. I’ll be here to meet His Grace and be hospitable. But I’m not marrying him. That’s all I came here to say.” He paused. “And I’ve named Evemer and Melek as my favorites; Evemer’s informing the garrison as we speak.”
“Oh. Well, good,” she said, still puzzled. “I’m glad. It’s nice to have a friend or two around you. I suppose ordeals like the recent ones really forge strong bonds, don’t they?”
Oh, she had no idea. “They do,” Kadou agreed. He had to get out of this room; things were goingtoo welland the fear, tiresome and dull as it was, could twist even that into poison.
She studied him, her hair tousled from sleep. “You seem different. A good different.”
“I’m worrying myself to shreds.”
“Well, if you weren’t, I’d be concerned that you’d been replaced by an impostor.” She smiled again. “All right. Go to Sirya.” She gave him a pleading, big-sisterly sort of look. “Are you sure you don’t like the Duc de Resti? You don’t want to take a little time to think on it? You could take his portrait with you. You might change your mind.”
Kadou shook his head. “I’m afraid not. I am quite set on this decision.” He took a breath to steady himself and said, “We can talk more when I get back.”
“All right, all right.” She sighed. “Months of work wasted. When will you leave for the country?”
As soon as the iron cools on the palace jeweler’s work bench,Kadou did not say. “Soon.”
