Page 29 of Crimson Kingdom
Something calculating.
I didn’t have to wait long to figure out what it was.
“Of course,ifyour primary concern is for the people,” he said dubiously, and I narrowed my eyes. “Then undisputedly, your best option would be an alliance with Bear.”
CHAPTERSIXTEEN
Iblinked, sure Evander wasn’t suggesting what I thought he was.
Several voices sounded at once, all talking over each other and sounding further away than they should have, drowned out by the blood roaring in my ears.
Evander went on like he hadn’t just dropped a live viper in the room, ticking the reasons off on his fingers.
“It’s no secret that Lochlann’s coffers are running low after the rebuilding effort, and Socairans have favored military over farming to their detriment. Trade would benefit both of our people.”
“Which is why you’re here fortradediscussions,” Theo said in a low tone.
“But if you were going to pick one clan to align yourselves with,” Evander continued as though Theo hadn’t spoken. “Bear controls the pass, and no one is moving any substantial amount of goods or livestock through that tunnel. We’re also the largest territory, with the deepest coffers, and we represent the single biggest military force in Socair.”
“Elk’s coffers are plenty deep,” Theo argued. “And the pass is only accessible five or six months a year, whereas the tunnel could be improved to accommodate trade year long.”
“It would take years to get the tunnel wide enough to fit a standard wagon through,” Evander countered coolly. “And that doesn’t address the other points.”
I finally found my voice.
“You said you had no intentions of marrying.” I couldn’t keep the accusation from my tone as my words sliced through the air.
Theo went still, and Evander’s attention snapped to me, along with the rest of the table’s.
“I said I had too much chaos in my life for a wife,” he corrected. “And I find that these days that chaos has...largely abated.”
My lips parted with something between shock and fury.
So, he hadn’t been interested before, when I was at Bear andin his bedfor months, but now...the second I was considering betrothal to Theo, he was suggesting marriage? For political reasons, in the mostaalioway possible?
“You have got to be kidding me,” I said in a hollow voice.
“I can assure you, I’m not.” He spread his hands. “You need an alliance, and I’m offering one.”
“I wouldn’t need an alliance if you would just agree to the one I already had in the works,” I hissed.
He made a thoughtful sound in the back of his throat. “It was my understanding you hadn’t yet agreed. In any event, I’m not inclined to grant my permission when the end result is my enemy’s clan being strengthened.”
Of course, that’s what this was about. Rage thrummed in my veins.
“That’s why you let me go.” I shook my head. “All this time, I wondered how you could risk me marrying into Clan Elk, but it never was a risk. You were never planning on letting it happen.”
His gaze drifted to where my hand still rested on Theo’s. “I told you before, there was nothing I wouldn’t do for my clan.”
“So once again, all of this is about keeping Elk from getting something you don’t even want.” Not that it mattered what any of this was about when he, once again, held all of the cards.
Evander narrowed his eyes, opening his mouth to respond when Theo broke in with a different argument.
“Do you honestly think anyone at this table would let Rowan go back to Bear after what you let happen to her?”
His words sucked all of the oxygen from the room. My father shifted in his seat as if he, too, wanted the answer to this question.
“Remind me,” Evander said in a deadly quiet tone. “Was itmybrother who trapped her in a tunnel where she could have died--nearly did, in fact--then brought her to a Summit that voted to hang her?”