Page 87 of Stars May Burn

Tension and anger radiated from Kasten, but Father spoke as if he didn’t notice. “We are just about to have a private audience with the king.” He puffed himself up with a self-satisfied smile. “I trust you are both well? Any news yet?”

I raised my eyes in question and saw him looking pointedly at my belly. My heartrate picked up and I shook my head.

Father sighed. “Pity. I assume you still have the tonics? Since you sent Miss Claris away so abruptly, I fear you don’t have everything you’re accustomed to.”

I started to speak. “I am?—”

Kasten stepped forward, interrupting me, his voice dangerous. “Believe me, she is well cared for, Lord Halfield. She has many maids, and you shouldn’t question my ability to see that her every need is met by trying to send your own.”

Father smiled widely at the general and bowed again. “That wasn’t my intention, General. I merely like to know my beloved daughter is happy. She contributes much to our family.”

His words made my skin crawl. I swallowed down the nausea.

I was dimly aware of Callum coming to stand on the other side of Kasten and laying a cautionary hand on his arm. I just wanted to leave, but I needed to show Father I was stronger now and wanted him to leave us alone and out of his schemes.

“I am well, Father. Thank you for your concern. We were just on our way to…to…”

“We were leaving.” Kasten finished far more rudely. He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me into him protectively.

I didn’t dare look at my father as Kasten pushed us past him and toward the footmen lining the palace entrance hall. This room was too stuffy. I needed air.

I had wanted to tell Father that I didn’t need his help or protection anymore, but Kasten hadn’t given me the chance. He probably didn’t think I was strong enough to stand up to Father. He was probably right.

I felt small and weak. I didn’t want to feel like this. I didn’t want to be this person anymore. I thought I’d changed. I thought I had left her behind.

“Sophie?”

Kasten’s voice snapped me back to reality.

“Hmm?” was all I managed. I looked up to see his concerned eyes studying every detail of my face as if they contained secrets. I supposed they did.

“Are you well? If you need to, you can draw strength from your necklace.”

“I…I just want to go back to the townhouse.” I felt foolish saying it when I had begged to come here.

Kasten nodded and kept his arm around my waist, sweeping me out into the dusk air. He felt rigid beside me.

A thought struck me out of nowhere. A worry that was so obvious, I should have given it more thought. I looked up at his severe profile. “When you agreed to marry me, what were the terms set between you and Father?”

Kasten glanced back, distracted. “You don’t know? You had a dowry of one thousand pescos. In return, he got his link to royalty, which he craved, and I excused his son, George, from being on the reserves for military service.”

One thousand pescos. Kasten was already wealthy; that would have made no difference to him.

I stopped, forcing him to turn. “Then why did you choose to marry me, Kasten? And so quickly?”

The general turned his attention back to me as if only just processing the direction of my questions.

“I…eh…well, I saw you were unhappy. I saw the way Sir Cuthbert treated you, as well as your father. I didn’t want you to be bargained away to one of his business associates. And I needed a wife so Kasomere wouldn’t be claimed by the king in the likely event of my death.”

The words settled across my chest and tightened my ribcage.

He had married me out of pity and convenience.

He had a good heart, so he had decided to rescue the defenseless, helpless girl, too weak to help herself. Just like he had taken pity on all the helpless people in Kasomere.

Too weak to even give her the chance to speak to her father. And would I have managed, if he hadn’t interrupted? Probably not.

It made more sense now. It suited his character and explained why he had mostly ignored me. He didn’t need me to be a wife in truth because he had merely been acting on his compassion.

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