“Has left Vencia.” Her chin trembled slightly. “Lestara sent me a letter.”
Lestara.
The youngest of his father’s wives had taken control of the harem after Coralyn’s death, and she’d made it clear she had no intention of going anywhere. Much to Keris’s dismay.
“It doesn’t matter anyway. You said that when you were king, I would come to live with you.” Her face was full of accusation. “You haven’t even visited me once.”
Bloody hell. “Because it was safer for you if I stayed away. Safer for people to—” He broke off, having been about to say that it would be better if everyone forgot she existed. Except to her, it likely felt as though everyone had. Including him. “I’m sorry. I should’ve brought you here straightaway. The servants will have your old room made up now.”
“I want to sleep in the tower.”
Keris blew a breath out between his teeth. “The tower isn’t a good choice. Better to stay in the harem’s house.”
Her skinny arms crossed. “Because I’m a girl?”
The tower was traditionally reserved for the king and his sons, but Keris hardly cared about that and was stomping all over family traditions anyway. It was the climb that concerned him. “The stairs
…”
The glare his sister gave him was pure defiance, and Keris trailed off, shaking his head. “Fine. But you should know, I intend to sail to Ithicana as soon as this storm breaks to meet with Aren and Lara.”
Her defiance fell away, and tears welled in her brown eyes. “You’re leaving?”
Damn it.
Giving Dax a look that said he wanted space, Keris led his sister into one of the rooms that his With Dax carrying her meager belongings, Keris had ridden back to the palace with his littlefather had used for meeting with those who couldn’t make the climb to the top. Closing the door, he led Sara to one of the chairs and then went to the sideboard, pouring two drinks. He stared at them for a long moment, then gave his head a sharp shake and dumped the contents of one into the other. God, he needed to sleep. What other excuse did he have for nearly serving whiskey to a child?
Going to the door, he leaned out. “A warm milk.”
“With honey,” Sara called.
One of the servants nodded, and Keris shut the door again. Taking the seat across from Sara, he swallowed a large mouthful of his drink before setting the glass on the table. “I need to travel to Ithicana straightaway. I meant to leave already, but the storm was too fierce.” She stared at him silently, so he pressed onward. “I need to speak to Aren. To negotiate.”
“Father never went to negotiations himself,” she said. “He always sent others. Why can’t you send someone else?”
“Because I’m not Father.”
Aren’t you? his conscience whispered.
A knock sounded at the door and Keris twitched, covering the motion by reaching for his drink.
“Come in.”
The door opened, but instead of a servant entering, Lestara appeared. His father’s wife carried a tray with a steaming glass of milk and a plate of cookies, a throw draped over one of her bare arms.
dresses and things.” He hoped they did, at least. When he’d informed his father’s wives that he had no“Your Grace.” She dropped into a deep curtsey, the front of her gauzy dress cut low enough that, at this angle, he could see down to her navel. Annoyance flickered through him, and he pointedly looked away.
“Sara, we were so relieved to hear you were all right.” Lestara’s sandals made soft pats against the floor as she crossed the room, setting the tray down on the table. “And so happy to hear that His Grace has brought you back to live with us.”
“I’m going to live in the tower with Keris.”
Lestara laughed as though the idea of it were utterly ridiculous, tucking her blond hair behind one ear. “You must refer to His Grace by one of his titles now, darling. Circumstances have changed.”
Keris snagged the cookie that Sara’s fingers hovered over, giving her a warning glance. She tucked her hands into the fold of her wet dress, the childish greed in her eyes replaced with trepidation as she was reminded that eating in this palace always meant the risk of poison. “It’s fine, Keris,” she said. “I’m not really hungry.”
felt as though everyone had. Including him. “I’m sorry. I should’ve brought you here straightaway. The The faint growling of her stomach belied that statement.
“Sara may call me whatever she wants, because, as you say”—he bit into the cookie, marzipan roses crunching beneath his teeth—“circumstances have changed.” Picking up the glass of milk, he took a long swallow, nearly gagging at the sweetness. He hadn’t the training to taste poison, but it made his sister’s importance to him clear to Lestara. “Sara will take rooms in the tower.”
The daughter of a king, Lestara had been as raised on politics as he had himself, and she switched tactics without blinking. “Of course! It was presumptuous of me to think otherwise. As most favored sister, Sara deserves every privilege.” Slipping the blanket off her arm, she draped it around the girl’s wet shoulders. “I’ll order the dressmakers to come, as I’m sure none of your old gowns will fit, much The glare his sister gave him was pure defiance, and Keris trailed off, shaking his head. “Fine. But less suit.”
you should know, I intend to sail to Ithicana as soon as this storm breaks to meet with Aren and Lara.”
Straightening, she met Keris’s gaze. “I’ve made arrangements for Royce’s care and eventual imprisonment, as well as ensured his mother understands that he brought his fate down upon himself, which she has accepted gracefully. I’ve also sent compensation to Greenbriar to pay for the sister’s service, as well as to repair any damages inflicted on the property during the incident.”
This had been the way of things since word his father had died in the battle of Eranahl had arrived led Sara to one of the chairs and then went to the sideboard, pouring two drinks. He stared at them for in Vencia. Lestara running the household, much in the way Coralyn once had. It was a monumental task, managing the needs of so many, and not one Keris was well equipped to do, so he should have been grateful. Was grateful. But he also knew Lestara had an agenda, which meant every time she did something like this, it put his nerves on edge. “Thank you, Auntie.”
Annoyance passed through her amber eyes, but Lestara inclined her head. “Will you be joining the harem for dinner?”
He considered Sara, who was sipping at her milk, expression unreadable. “The family will have to forgo my presence tonight, but thank you.”
“You will be missed.” Lestara curtsied, then swanned out of the room, the door clicking shut behind her.
Keris slumped back in the chair, resting his drink on his knee. Not knowing quite why, he asked,
“What do you think she wants from me?”
Around a mouthful of cookie, Sara answered, “To get in your bed.”
He jerked, nearly sending his drink crashing to the floor. “What did you just say?”
Taking a large sip of milk, Sara said, “I’m not entirely certain why, but all the aunties used to say Lestara wanted to get in your bed. I assumed you had a particularly comfortable mattress.”