Page 50 of Onyx Cage: Volume II
She whirled in her chair to face me. “Who told you that?”
“You just did.”
Her lips parted, outrage overtaking her queasy expression.
“It’s hardly any of your business what I put in my mouth,” she muttered.
Davin choked on his coffee, and her cheeks colored while I fought to keep my features very, very even.
“But I tell you what. In the incredibly unlikely event that we marry, perhaps you can commission a bird to fly all the way from my kingdom to yours every day to keep you apprised of my eating habits,” she flung at me, as though she hadn’t jumped at that aspect of the proposal.
I let out a breath through my nose. “Perhaps I shall, if you can’t manage the basic task of feeding yourself. Or restraining yourself, as the case may be,” I murmured behind my mug.
“Spoken like someone who doesn’t have a bottle of vodka in both of his nightstands.”
At some point, we had moved incrementally closer to one another, enough that I could see the paler strands of green weaving through her jade-colored eyes and could acutely feel the energy that constantly hummed from her body to mine.
A fact that was not helped by the visceral images her words brought forth, of her wild curls sprawled across my pillow and her victorious cackle interrupting my work. Of a time when we were more than veritable strangers fighting for something I wasn't sure either of us wanted.
At least, not like this. Though, anything was better than her marrying Korhonan.
“Well, in fairness, one of those was byyourrequest,” I reminded her in a low tone, wondering if she heard what I wasn’t saying.
I certainly wasn’t there alone, Lemmikki.
Her brow furrowed, a huff of air escaping her.
Then the king set down his mug with another audible thump, a sharpened sword slicing through the mounting tension between his daughter and me.
She straightened in her chair, and I blinked, the rest of the room coming into focus once more. There was a palpable silence, punctuated with looks that ranged from interest to concern.
And, of course, barely concealed rage on the features of the king.
Apparently, neither of our tones had been as low as we might have hoped.
“We will meet in the Council Room with Elk today,” King Logan said pointedly. “To discuss terms ofthatalliance.”
I dug deep inside for all the calm I was used to feigning at my own court, nodding graciously like the thought didn’t make me want to set this room on fire.
Rowan nodded, her cheeks coloring. “Of course.”
She reached for Korhonan’s hand in an apology, and it was my turn to feel queasy. I forced myself to eat a reasonable amount of breakfast anyway, cognizant that it was a luxury many of my people would kill for.Hadkilled for.
It was the reminder I needed of all that was at stake—the peace I couldn’t upset for the sake of running my sword through Korhonan’s smarmy face. No matter how tempting it was.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Though I didn’t harbor any especially warm feelings toward him when Davin burst into my rooms through the passageways, I was grateful for the distraction he offered when he invited me to go shooting.
Apparently, Rowan was not the only one who used that particular hallway, though Davin assured me it was only family. We spent the day at a vast archery field, along with Gallagher, Gwyn, and Avani, the latter of whom split several targets.
After that, we enjoyed dinner at court, accompanied by several more unsubtle offers of both the marriage and the bedroom variety. All throughout the meal, I felt two sets of green eyes glancing my way—one with unmistakable ire and one with curiosity. Whatever Avani was wondering, she didn’t ask before the meal was over, though she was seated at my side.
And it was more than clear what Rowan was furious about, if her clenching of her wine glass every time Lady Fiona laughed was any indication.
Though Jocelyn hadn’t wanted either of the princess’s potential suitors to sit by her at dinner—something about the propriety of it all—we were to take turns escorting her back toher room. Tonight, it was my immense privilege to enjoy her glower all the way up the stairs.
Not that Korhonan would have received the same reception, of course. Why would he, when he was only the one who had thrown her in a dungeon to begin with?