With Valri on her sickbed and Ellynor in attendance, Cammon didn’t think he even needed to worry about Lirrenfolk creeping up on him at a time he most desired no audience.
Slipping his hand free, he stood up and began unlacing his pants. “It’s pretty cold, so that’s going to have an effect, but you’ll get the general idea,” he said. “Do you want me to take off all my clothes, or just my trousers?”
“All of them,” she said. “If you wouldn’t mind.”
So three minutes later he was standing naked before Princess Amalie, heiress to the throne of Gillengaria, explaining how a man’s body worked and how it could be used to pleasure a woman’s. She listened intently, asked a dozen questions, made him turn around, and sought clarification on a couple of points. The raelynx lifted his head as if Cammon might smell a little more appetizing now that his pale skin was uncovered, but it showed no inclination to attack. Cammon was freezing by the time Amalie was satisfied enough for him to put his clothes back on, and he hopped in place for a few minutes just to get his blood warmed back up.
“Thank you,” she said. “I’m still not sure I’m looking forward to this, but at least I know what to expect.”
He grinned and settled next to her on the bench again. There didn’t seem to be any casual way to retrieve her hand. “Murrie liked it,” he answered. “She said most girls did. So maybe you will, too.”
“Maybe it depends on the man you’re with.”
“Maybe,” he said. “So be careful who you pick.”
She gave him a sideways glance through a fall of bright hair. “That’s why I need you,” she said. “To help me make the right choice.”
IT was Cammon, not Amalie, who insisted that they return to the palace. “Majesty, they will send me away from Ghosenhall altogether if they think I am becoming too familiar,” he said, and that, apparently, was a threat that worked. So she sniffed, and let them out of the garden, and preceded him to the palace so that no one would see them together. He returned to his room to await his summons, and soon Milo had reappeared at his door.
“It seems the princess desires your attendance after all,” the steward said. “She is in the parlor.”
But Valri had roused herself from her sickbed enough to make sure Amalie had a chaperone, and Cammon arrived in Amalie’s favorite room to find Belinda Brendyn already in place. Amalie shot him a warning look, but he knew better than to pull up a chair and instantly deal out a hand of cards.
“Majesty? My lady? Milo said you might have need of me.”
“The regent’s wife mentioned that she knew very little about mystics, and I said you would be willing to tell us stories to pass the time,” the princess said.
Belinda smiled. She was small and dark-haired and growing round with pregnancy, and she simply glowed with goodwill and happiness. “Well, I know that some of them are exceptional healers, and I was hoping one of them might be on hand when my baby comes,” she said. “It’s my first child, and I’m a little nervous.”
“You can’t count on Kirra being anywhere nearby when you need her, but there’s a Rider who’s just married a mystic, and she’s a gifted healer,” Cammon said. “I’m sure Ellynor would be happy to meet with you anytime you wanted.”
He didn’t stay long, and over dinner that night he only sent one or two comments Amalie’s way when something in the conversation struck him as odd or humorous. But it didn’t matter. He was sublimely happy. Amalie was no longer angry with him. And the whole world was glorious.
CHAPTER 18
TWO days later, Valri was fully recovered, Senneth and Tayse were a day into their return journey, Kirra and Donnal were headed for Danalustrous, and Toland Storian came calling.
Amalie had spent the morning combating her dread. “But I hate him, Valri,” she said every time the queen reminded her to treat him with friendliness. “He’s a pig.”
“Hey, maybe Kirra could really turn him into a pig,” Cammon suggested. Amalie looked amenable to the idea, but Valri frowned.
“Storian is an important ally.”
“Storian has been trading with Fortunalt and Gisseltess and may in fact be contemplating an assault on the throne,” Amalie retorted.
“That’s why it’s so important that you be amiable to ser Toland. If he believes he has a chance to wed you, he might persuade his father to hold back from war.”
Despite her misgivings, Amalie managed to be perfectly gracious to Toland while the two of them sat in the receiving room, engaged in the opening round of their courtship. Cammon thought the serramar was boastful, arrogant, and a little too familiar (though he realized he had no right to criticize on that last point), but Amalie handled him deftly.
“Of course you’ll join us for dinner tonight,” she said, as she always said.
“Of course I will. I was hoping there might be dancing as well.” Cammon imagined the leer on Toland’s aristocratic face. “We danced together at a number of Houses last summer, and I enjoyed those times very much.”
“No, I don’t think we have such entertainments planned.”
“Too bad. I would like a chance to hold you in my arms again.”
The heavy gallantry made Valri grimace-and made Cammon want to rip through the false wall and punch the proud noble in the face. Of course, just imagining what would happen next-Riders bursting through right behind him, Valri launching into a furious tirade-made him want to smile again.
He had not intended to send Amalie that picture, but somehow she had caught it, for he heard the lilt in her voice. “Now, ser Toland. You don’t want to press too hard or appear overeager. I have many defenders and one of them is likely to take offense.”
Bright Mother burn me, Cammon thought. Valri looked at him curiously but he did not meet her eyes. He was going to have to be a lot more careful about what he thought if Amalie was going to be able to read him so easily.
“Well, of course you have defenders,” Toland said smoothly. “But I wager if you spend a little more time alone with me you might find you don’t want them interfering as we get to know each other.”
Now Valri was scowling at the wall. She turned to Cammon and mouthed, What an ass. He nodded emphatically.
Amalie, surprisingly, did not seem at all offended. “Perhaps you’re right. I assume you are planning to stay a day or two? Let’s go for a walk tomorrow morning, just around the palace grounds. I can show you some of the prettiest gardens and you can tell me a great deal more about yourself. I’m sure we will enjoy ourselves immensely.”
Valri and Cammon exchanged startled glances, but Toland was deeply pleased. He said, “Majesty, it will be an honor.”
ACCORDINGLY, the next morning, a small procession set out to stroll through the royal lawns. Toland did not seem delighted to realize that his romantic outing with the princess would be attended by two Riders, the queen, and a serving man, but he offered Amalie his arm and escorted her down the path to the sculpture gardens.
“How much will you wager that before the hour is out he’ll put his arm around her waist or take her hand?” Valri said.
“Nothing,” Cammon replied. “I’m sure he will.”
“Why is she encouraging him this way?”
“You’re the one who told her to be nice to him!”
“Amalie never does what I say.”
That made him grin. “Maybe she’s really testing us. Seeing how much we can stand when we see her with an idiot like Toland.”
“If he tries to kiss her, I’ll have one of the Riders run him through.”
Cammon was amazed at how furious he suddenly was. “Kiss her? Surely not! With so many people watching?”