Page 31 of Onyx Cage: Volume II

And for all that she was sure she wanted to marry Korhonan, for all her fury at my offer and her indignation at my terms, she froze.

She blinked once, then twice, a third time, before croaking, “A what?”

“A wife, in Lochlann.”

For the second time in an hour, and maybe in her entire life, she had gone mute, and I felt just a little firmer in my decision to stay.

I went on like I didn’t notice her reaction. “Your own council just told me that marriage was the most binding way to make an agreement. It would give my clan reasonable protection against any moves from Lochlann, via Elk, and it could only benefit both of our peoples to have more alliances.”

“That’s true,” MacKinnon, my new favorite person in this room, chimed in.

Rowan’s nostrils flared, and I bit back a smirk.

“Perfect.” I raised my eyebrows. “I believe you have an unpromised cousin?”

She swallowed, looking for the first time like the night before was coming back to haunt her. “Gwyn doesn’t want to get married,” she responded in a voice so low it was nearly inaudible.

There was a brief pause in the room, and even Korhonan looked at her sideways.

“Lady Gwyndolyn knows she will need to marry at some point, just as all of you do,” Jocelyn countered, eying her niece, who made an indeterminable sound in the back of her throat.

“Regardless,” I cut in before the issue of Rowan’s cousin could overtake the conversation. “I understand the lairds here have a great deal more power than those in Socair do, and I already received several offers last night.”

In most of the clans, the lords would have to gain permission from the duke to marry even outside the clan, but certainly outside of the kingdom. I was willing to bet that wasn’t the case here, and the speculative murmurs around me confirmed it.

Korhonan’s cheeks colored enough to let me know he had received similar offers, and Rowan went red for an entirely different reason, the exposed skin on her chest blazing as crimson as the threads of her gown.

“Yes,” she scoffed. “Lady Fiona seemed to be offering you a great deal last night.”

Oliver choked on a laugh, and Queen Charlotte shot her daughter a frown, while several of the lairds around the table looked scandalized.

I didn’t deny it, since there was little point. “As I said, I received multiple offers.”

The prince’s features went from amused to thoughtful as he exchanged a glance with his wife.

“For all their talk of war,” he said, “the ladies do seem to be quite taken with the Socairans. And though some of their fathers would prefer to go to war, there are plenty of lairds who won’t object to forming powerful partnerships.”

Jocelyn nodded, and even the king grunted out something like an agreement.

“So, I think we can agree that the request is reasonable,” MacKinnon announced.

I was curious about his role here as the only commoner, but whatever it was, his words seemed to hold a great deal of weight. The laird who had tried to start the meeting early looked like he was going to make an objection but went quiet at MacKinnon’s words.

Rowan also looked like she wanted to make an objection, but instead she clamped her lips shut so tightly they turned ashen.

Which was funny, considering how very horrified she was at the prospect of marrying me herself.

Queen Charlotte cleared her throat. “The Summer Festival is in just over a week, and we need to make a strong, united showing there. Not to mention, the people are, indeed, restless. Rowan, is that an acceptable timeline to make your decision?”

Her voice softened on the last sentence, but her daughter only nodded.

“Of course, she can always decide not to marry either of them.” King Logan spoke up for the first time, leaving no doubt as to his opinion on the matter.

“Yes, that’s an option as well,” the queen responded, a note of exasperation to her voice. “Are there any objections?”

She gave her husband a warning look, and quite possibly a good kick under the table, if his arched eyebrows and miniscule flinch was anything to judge by. When he didn’t respond further, she nodded to herself. Then she turned to take in the rest of the room, giving them a chance to speak up.

No one did.