Page 31 of Obsidian Throne
There was a direct, secluded path from the sauna to the river, and I resisted the urge to don my robe. Once again, the moonlight illuminated my pale skin, contrasting sharply with the varying shades of light brown that Mila, Taras, and Evander all had.
My husband walked next to me, his hand on the small of my back and a relaxed smile on his lips. He had needed this, too, I realized, a break from all the heaviness around us.
When we got to the edge of the river, Mila and Taras jumped right in, but I hesitated.
Was it just me, or did the water look extra freezing today?
Before I could think too long about it, Evander’s warm arms came around me...and promptly lifted me to hurl me into the river.
Ice shot through my veins, paralyzing me for a fraction of a second before I kicked my way to the top.
I was right. It was extra freezing.
I felt movement next to me, and the arseling had managed to emerge at the same time I did, probably because, unlike me, his feet touched the ground here.
“You.Aalio,” I said through chattering teeth.
He threw his head back and laughed. “You were overthinking it, Lemmikki.”
His stupid teeth weren’t chattering at all. In fact, looking at him, Mila, and Taras, you would think they were all here for a leisurely evening swim.
I splashed water at him, which only made him laugh harder. He pulled his arms around me again, tugging me next to him and lending me some of his warmth before pressing a wet, sloppy kiss against my lips.
I stuck my tongue out, and he nipped at it playfully before carting me out of the river for another much-needed round of sauna.
After a few more rounds of this, we finally went to dry off and get dressed.
I was so caught up in the fun we were having that it took me a while to realize something was off, and even longer to place what it was.
My dagger, which I had tucked carefully under my dress, was now sitting out in the open on the bench, halfway out of its sheath.
Evander had said the only people allowed here unescorted were the duke and his heir…and their wives. There were guards outside ensuring no one broke that rule, not that anyone would dare.
Ava.
What was she doing here? And what did she want with my things?
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
ROWAN
Another week passed in much the same manner.
We sparred in the mornings. Then in the early afternoon Evander conducted business with the lords or occasionally, his father, and I made an effort to get to know the ladies.
All the while, there was an undercurrent of tension as he worked very subtly on whatever he was doing to undermine and dethrone Iiro, even as the ominous threat of food taxes grew ever nearer.
At least Ava still made herself scarce, thank the stars.
When Evander wasn’t working,he still spent a great deal of time at his desk, the muted scratching of his quill traveling through the open door. Each time I joined him in his study, he took the time to explain what he was doing, which generally involved reports of some sort.
Whether it was about laws, trade, coffers, or the soldiers, he seemed to have a hand in everything that went on in Bear.When he wasn’t directly responding to someone, he pored over a number of charts and maps, making notes and drawing arrows as he went.
“What are those?” I asked curiously.
“Plans for reallocating resources in a way that might actually address both the famine and the population issues. Not that Iiro will ever listen,” he muttered irritably.
“That’s why alliances are so important to you,” I pointed out.