“I said no such thing. I said I was trained to be a wife and a queen, not a common soldier.”
“And just what did that training entail?”
“Perhaps fate will favor you and one day you’ll find out, Your Majesty. Although as it stands, you’ll need to content yourself with my flawless needlework.”
Howling with laughter, Ahnna poured herself yet another glass of wine and then filled one up for her brother. “This might help.”
Aren disregarded them both in favor of the servants who appeared bearing trays of food, which they set down on the table, disappearing only to return again with more. There were fresh fruits and vegetables, all brilliantly colored, as well as large fish still in possession of their heads. One fish sat on a bed of steaming rice, which Lara eyed and then dismissed, her attention snapping to the herb-crusted roast beef, the question of its origins tamping down her anger at the excess of food. Food that could’ve gone to Maridrina.
She waited for one of the servants to serve her, but they all departed. Then the royal siblings began helping themselves, loading their plates with salad and fish and beef all at the same time with no regard to the order of things. “This is more diverse fare than I’m used to,” she said. “I’ve never had fish before, although I suppose it’s a staple here.”
Aren lifted his head, eyeing the offerings, and Lara saw the corner of his eye tick. “There are some islands with wild boar. Goat. Chicken. Snake is often on the menu. Everything else is an import—usually from Harendell via the market at Northwatch.”
Serin’s spies reported that not all the goods that entered the bridge at Northwatch exited at Southwatch, indicating that the Ithicanians used the structure to transport products within their own kingdom. There are ways in and out of the bridge beyond the openings at Northwatch and Southwatch, Serin had shouted continually at Lara and her sisters. Those are the weak points. Find your way in.
Taking healthy servings of everything, Lara cut into her slice of beef, watching the juices pool beneath. Then she took a bite. Smiling at one of the servants who’d reappeared with more wine, she said, “This is delicious.”
None of them spoke for a long time, and for her part, Lara’s silence was a result of her mouth being full of food. It was better than anything she’d ever had, fresh and seasoned with spices she couldn’t even name. This is what possessing the bridge meant, she thought, imagining all this food arriving in Maridrina.
“Why did your father keep you in the middle of the Red Desert?” Aren finally asked.
“For our safety.”
“Our?”
Give the truth, when you can, Serin’s voice instructed from her thoughts.
She swallowed a bit of fish that was drenched with a citrus-butter. “Mine and my sisters’. Well, half-sisters.”
Both siblings stopped chewing.
“How many children was . . . is he hiding out there?” Aren asked.
“Twelve, including myself.” Lara took a sip of wine, then refilled her plate. “My father selected from amongst us the girl he believed would be most fitting as your queen.”
Aren was staring at her with a blank expression while his twin nodded sagely before asking, “The most beautiful, you mean?”
“No, I’m afraid not.”
“The most intelligent?”
Lara shook her head, thinking of how swiftly Sarhina and Marylyn could crack codes. And build them.
“Why you, then?” Aren interjected.
“It wasn’t my place to question the reasons behind his decision.”
“Surely you have an opinion on the matter?”
“Certainly: that my opinion doesn’t matter.”
“What if I asked you for it?” He frowned. “I am asking for it.”
“My father is the longest ruling monarch in Maridrina’s history. His wisdom and understanding of the relationship between our two kingdoms is what guided him to choose me to be your wife.”
Ahnna abruptly jerked toward her brother, her voice urgent as she said, “Aren, we’ve been infiltrated. There’s a spy amongst us.”
Lara felt her stomach drop as Aren’s eyes turned on her. Her fingers twitched toward the knives at her waist, ready to fight her way out if she needed to.
“There’s no other explanation for it,” Ahnna said. “How else could that deceitful prick of a king have known which daughter would make the absolute worst wife for you?”
Snorting, Aren shook his head. Lara hid her relief behind another mouthful of fish, which now held the same appeal as swallowing sawdust.
“No wonder he looked so damn smug at the wedding,” the princess continued. “He probably figured you’d send her back after a week.”
“Ahnna.” The King of Ithicana’s voice was full of warning.
“It’s amazing, really. It’s almost as though she were created to drive you into an early grave.”
More accurate than you know, Lara thought.
“Ahnna, if you don’t shut your mouth, I’m going to drown you in your wine.”
Ahnna held up her glass in toast. “You’re welcome to try, brother dearest.”
Lara chose that moment to interrupt, while at the same time, refilling both the siblings’ glasses. Pouring the wine herself made it an easy thing to deposit several drops from the tiny vial hidden in her hand into each, ensuring they’d both sleep heavily tonight. “Speaking of my father, will you allow me to correspond with him?”
They stared at her, their displeasure at her request clear as they both drained their glasses, seemingly unaware of how they mirrored each other. Lara smiled internally, knowing the narcotic mixed with the alcohol would do its duty well.
Finally, Aren asked, “Why would you want to? And please don’t tell me it’s to sustain what is so obviously not a close father-daughter relationship.”
A dozen nasty retorts formed in her mind, and Lara bit down on every last one of them. She did need the cursed man to fall for her. “It has been made clear to me that to protect the interests of Ithicana, I will never be allowed to see my family, my home, or even my people again. That this house, as lovely as it may be, is to be my prison for as long as you see fit. Pen and paper are all I have left to maintain my connection with all that I have left behind. That is, if you allow it.”
He looked away, his jaw working as though he were waging some great internal debate. Then his eyes flicked to his sister, the woman giving him the very faintest shake of her head. Which was interesting. Ahnna portrayed herself as the lighthearted and compassionate of the pair, but perhaps that was not an accurate assessment of her character.
Yet whatever warning had passed between brother and sister, Aren chose to ignore it. “You are welcome to correspond with your father. But your letters will be read, and if they contain information that jeopardizes Ithicana, you will be asked to remove it. If you’re caught using a code, your privileges will be revoked.”
What he might ask her to remove would reveal a great deal, a concept that was not lost on the Commander of Southwatch. Ahnna’s eyes flashed with irritation, and she opened her mouth before shutting it again, unwilling to compromise her performance. Though Lara had no doubt she’d argue against the correspondence once Lara was out of earshot.