“No! Of course not! We are relying on you and your wretched magic for too many reasons. You have saved the king’s life twice and perhaps you will save Amalie’s, and I pray to the Great Mother that you will be able to ensure that the husband she picks will offer her a warm heart instead of a cold ambition. You must stay. But you must keep your distance from Amalie. Cammon, you must.”
He felt resentful and aggrieved-and just a tiny bit smug, for Valri could not stop him from communicating with Amalie silently even if he had to sit in her presence poker-faced and mute from now until the wedding bells were sounded. And still, under all of that, he remained astonished. She thinks Amalie could fall in love with me?
“I don’t know what you want me to promise,” he said, and even to himself his voice sounded sulky. “If I am cool and unfriendly to her, Amalie will make a scene-you know she will. But if I act the way I have always acted, you will say I am-I am-I don’t know what you think I’m doing! Ingratiating myself, I suppose. I never set out to do that. I never set out to do anything except just be here like I was asked.”
“One thing I do not expect is for you to spend whole days alone with her. If I am not present, you should not be present, either.”
He spread his hands. How could he argue? “If that’s what you want.”
“And-and-you should not think to spend every morning with her, lounging in the parlor and telling her stories.”
“I’ll stay away, but she’ll ask me about it, and she’ll insist on an explanation.”
“I’ll take care of that.”
He shrugged. “Then fine. I’ll keep my distance. You won’t have cause to complain about me again.”
Valri nodded once, decisively, as if she was feeling confident and satisfied. But he could tell that she was still distressed, still terrified that something would happen to Amalie and that he would be the cause of it. What are you really afraid of? he wanted to ask her. What truth are you trying to conceal from me by shielding Amalie’s mind with your own?
“Very well,” she said. “Then we’ll see you tomorrow afternoon when another one of her suitors comes calling.”
“I’ll meet you by the receiving room.”
She nodded again. “Good night. I’m glad you’re willing to be reasonable.”
She left the room, shutting the door behind her. He stared at it for a long time, wishing he had had the nerve to ask the question he knew she would not answer.
Is Amalie a mystic?
CHAPTER 14
THERE was no real need to supervise Amalie’s meeting the next day, for her suitor was Darryn Rappengrass. His mother, Ariane, was one of Baryn’s staunchest allies, and Kirra had always considered Darryn the best of the serramar. There was no chance he would suddenly pull a blade and try to slit Amalie’s throat. Still, two Riders posed behind the false wall, ready to stop him if he tried.
There was no need for Cammon and Valri to listen in to his courting, but of course they did.
They sat rather stiffly on either side of the card table, hardly on the best of terms after last night’s confrontation. Cammon found it difficult to hold a grudge, so he picked up the deck of cards and silently offered to deal. Valri hesitated, then nodded. They were into their second hand when the princess and her visitor entered and settled in for conversation.
At first it was all very superficial, talk about the weather and the roads. Cammon was surprised as everyone else when Amalie said, “So, ser Darryn, tell me! Why are you here?”
Darryn did not allow himself to be nonplussed. He was easygoing and polished, well able to handle himself in any social situation, but Cammon read nothing but good will behind his assured exterior. “I suppose I can’t be the first Twelfth House lord to call on you in the past few weeks. I expect you realize we’ve all come courting.”
“But not you,” Amalie said, calm as always. “You’re betrothed to another girl.”
Everyone in the room was astonished at that-Cammon, Valri, the Riders-but Darryn Rappengrass most of all. Cammon could feel his swift, confused reactions: amazement, respect, uncertainty, and a growing desire to tell the truth. “Not betrothed, exactly,” he replied in a slow voice. “But I admit I am in love with her and I hope to marry her.”
Valri dropped her cards and stared in impotent fury at the thin wall separating them. Cammon had to smother a grin. Surely it was unimaginably rude to tell a princess you preferred another woman.
Amalie, however, did not seem at all distressed. “So, you see I am going to resist any inclination I might have to fall in love with you myself,” she said.
Darryn laughed, still a little dazed. “But who has been gossiping with the princess of the realm? Where did you learn this news?”
“Kirra Danalustrous told me.”
Valri looked at Cammon and rolled her eyes. Of course, she mouthed.
“And how does she know?” Darryn asked. “I suppose she got the information from my mother, who is ready to disown me. In fact, the only way I can win myself back into her good graces is to tell her you’ve agreed to be my bride.”
Amalie sounded interested. “So you truly would propose to me, even though your affection was somewhere else? Wouldn’t that be risky? What if I accepted?”
Darryn was suddenly all seriousness. “No, Majesty. I planned to come to you, and flirt awhile, and speak of the long-standing bond between Ghosenhall and Rappen Manor. I wouldn’t have proposed, but I would have tried to make you enjoy our time together so that you would think of me kindly. And then I would have left and gone back to the arms of the girl I love. All the while hoping, of course, that some worthwhile and sincere young lord had already come calling and won a place in your heart.”
“Well, I would much rather you were truthful with me from the outset,” she said. “No pretending!”
Valri flung her hands wide in the air as if to say, The whole world survives on lies and this girl insists on the truth. But her anger seemed to have faded a little, and she picked up her cards again.
“I will remember that for the future,” Darryn said. “I still hope there will be ongoing friendship between the palace and Rappen Manor. We will pledge now to always be honest with each other, and thereby save a great deal of time.”
Amalie must have raised her drink in a toast, for there was a slight clinking sound as if two glasses had been touched together. “I will agree to that,” she said. “Now tell me about this girl you love. Is she noble-born?”
“No. Yet another reason my mother is displeased with me.”
Valri nodded emphatically at the wall. Cammon had to choke back another laugh.
“How did you meet her?” Amalie wanted to know.
There was a rustling sound, as if Darryn had leaned back in his chair and stretched out his legs, preparing to get comfortable. “Oh, now, that’s an adventurous tale,” he said. “I rescued her on the road-and a few weeks later, she repaid the favor.”
So all of them spent the next half hour listening to the story of Darryn Rappengrass’s romance with a young vagabond girl. Cammon was inclined to think the girl pretty lucky-Darryn just radiated happiness when he talked about her. If Cammon were ever called on to testify about the serramar’s affection, he would have to call it genuine.
“Of course you’ll join us for dinner,” Amalie said as their visit wound down. “And perhaps stay a day or so?”
“I will be happy to do both,” he replied.
Valri waited till they were out of the room and their voices had faded down the hall. “What a waste of time!” she exclaimed. “In love with another girl! And Darryn would be the perfect match for her in so many ways. He’s not a firstborn child, and he probably will not become marlord, but a wedding to him would immeasurably strengthen our ties to Rappengrass. And he’s such a delightful man! Sophisticated and handsome and at ease in every situation. He would make an excellent husband and an excellent king. And he’s to throw himself away on this nameless peasant girl!”