Page 71 of Onyx Cage: Volume II
The queen made to stand, but King Logan placed a hand over hers.
“Leave her for now,mo leannan.”
“Like you left me alone?” Queen Charlotte’s quiet response was quick enough that I suspected it was not the first time the argument had taken place.
He narrowed his eyes. “Aye. When yeneededit, I did.”
The queen cast him a dubious expression, but declined to comment, instead returning her attention to the table.
“I suppose we should discuss timing first,” she suggested, looking in my direction. “And guests?”
I thought through the options quickly. Regardless of how we handled things, we would need two weddings, as had already been determined. Even if my father had been of sound mind, it would be unnecessary to have him come here, especially considering the tense politics of the situation.
Let alone that my father was the one who had strung up the queen’s parents on their own castle wall less than two decades ago.
If circumstances were different, I might have considered whether a handful more weeks away was worth the advantage of a united front, but Socairan guests would only make my father’s absence more notable.
As far as timing, I had studied the maps of Lochlann on the way in. None of the major estates were more than two weeks’ ride during the summer, and messenger birds could be sent within the day.
“There is no need to wait on anyone from Socair, given that we will host another ceremony,” I replied after a handful of seconds. “And two weeks from tomorrow would be ideal for timing.”
“Two weeks?” the king echoed.
I nodded, though I sensed his question was rhetorical. A debate rose around the table with Oliver, Jocelyn, and the royals. Only Rowan looked at me with a surprising level of understanding.
She knew what it meant for me to be away from my clan for as long as I had, the things that could occur in my absence and the fires I would have to put out when I returned.
With my Lochlannian bride in tow.
Those were thoughts for another time, when I had written Taras for an update.
In the end, King Logan did not stay long past the initial date discussion. Rowan watched him leave with a guarded expression. Her face was drawn by then, the circles beneath her eyes standing out more prominently.
I studied her more closely, looking for signs of pain. She wasn’t hunched around the wound, and her skin wasn’t sallow the way it had been in the throes of her fever. She was onlytired, healing from a wound that should have done far more than fatigue her.
She needed rest, especially with her people’s festival tomorrow.
“If everything else can be decided upon after the festival, I do have a bit of work to do on my end of things as well.” Though my words were gracious, my tone was clear.
Rowan nearly sagged with relief, and I knew I had made the right call. Her mother looked from her back to me, features softening.
“Yes, I think we can adjourn for the day.”
We left after a few last-minute reminders from Jocelyn, and I escorted Rowan back to her rooms.
“I suppose it would have been too taxing for you to make that announcement in your rooms last night?” I asked her in an undertone as we made our way down the hall.
She scoffed, though even that sounded tired. “Like you made your proposal in the privacy of your rooms?”
I didn’t think the conversation would benefit from my reminder that I hadn’t actually decided to propose in advance of making that announcement, so we made the rest of our walk in silence.
Rowan’s pace was markedly slower than usual, and I couldn’t help but wonder if I had misjudged the amount of pain she was in. I scanned her body as we got to her door, and she let out a sigh.
“It’s fine.” She waved a hand dismissively.
I narrowed my eyes, searching for signs of her lie-face. “Then why do you look so tired?”
She blinked irritably up at me. “Because I was awake last night debating my impending nuptials to the biggestaalioI know. Why doyoulook so tired?”