Page 111 of Hollow Court

Present Day

My favorite thingabout traveling was the roughly seventeen thousand letters I had to look through when I returned. Normally, a missive from Rowan would be a rare reprieve from the world around me, but that was yet another thing I had ruined.

Dear Former Favorite Cousin,

It would seem that this arrangement of yours is still something of a problem for Sir-ArseFace-Mikhail.

He has taken up camp here at the Obsidian Palace, which is…just delightful. Especially since he’s even more pleasant than usual.

And he’s determined to get his niece back.

The letter crumpled slightlybeneath my grip, and a muscle ticked in my jaw.

I informed him that such an action was a bit premature. Then I dutifully added that he should know all about doing things prematurely, and how much such moves were frowned upon, much to my husband’s displeasure.

But, I digress.

He’s decided to come to Lochlann himself to discuss the nuances of the treaty, and as much as I would very desperately like to, we apparently can’t simply decline a diplomatic envoy on reasons of general dislike.

To me, the wording of the treaty seems fairly clear, considering I wrote a rather large portion of it….

I could practically seeRowan rolling her eyes as she penned that, and it made me miss her more.

…but I’ve writtenMamá and Da’, and they’re concerned he may have a small leg to stand on. Or at the very least, that he may find one.

Sorry to add to your fun, but not that sorry to be rid of him for a while.

Love,

Row.

P.S. My husband says that he did not survive a war just to suffer your unrequited affections.

P.P.S. I have included another case of vodka with this letter. Not because I’m happy with you at the moment, but because I feel like you could all undoubtedly use a drink right about now.

I grinned at the postscripts,but it was fleeting.

Mikhail was coming here. Or at least, to Castle Chridhe.

Worse still, he may have a point. Did that mean Galina would need to find a husband sooner? Would she want that?

Well, it would take him a few weeks just to get to the castle, and no one could drag out negotiations quite like the Lochlannian Council. So we had time yet to think about that.

Tucking the letter into my pocket, I joined Galina and the rest of my family for brunch.

She greeted me politely as I sat down next to her, just as she always did. Though we spent nearly every waking moment together, there was nothing personal about it anymore—no clever remarks or inside jokes, just the never-ending divide between us. An endless chasm of politeness and neutrality.

I would have preferred her ire.

“I see you received mail today as well,” my father said, interrupting my thoughts and gesturing toward the paper in my pocket.

I arched an eyebrow in question, and Da’ held up an envelope with the royal crest on the seal. I groaned, pouring myself a cup of coffee.

“What did they say?”

Da’ scanned it, his lips parting to respond, before Mamá cut him off.

“Mostly, your uncle argued with your father about the need to come down here himself.” She rubbed her temples, exasperated as if she were tired of having this argument. “Between the vote and this situation with Mikhail, he’s concerned.”