Page 46 of The Crimson Walls Of Algorath

Her heart stuttered. The very idea had her stomach twisting into knots. “N-no!”

His smirk grew. “I thought not.”

They started off again. The silence between them grew. If it were not for others who shared their walking path, mumbling their greetings and the laughter from a group of Caersan women playing a game of Bowls, they would have been subject to listening solely to the gentle slosh of the lake along the sandy beach.

With her blood pounding in her ears, Emillie swallowed back the sick rising in her throat and said so low, she was not certain Alek would even hear her, “I do prefer women. I have no attraction to men…you included.”

At first, Alek did not respond. Neither, however, did he appear angry. Perhaps he had not heard her correctly. His face remained calm and contemplative as he digested her words. Then he spoke, matching her volume, “I quite understand. I am impartial to men and women alike. I am quite confused about one thing, however.”

She was going to be sick. Not trusting herself to open her lips, she merely hummed in question.

“How could you possibly not find me attractive?” He grinned down at her and winked. “I am certain I outrank most lords across Valenul, yes?”

Something heavy lifted from Emillie’s chest, allowing her to breathe again. She blinked up at him in surprise at his humor, then returned his smile. “If I must marry a man, I suppose I could have done worse in terms of appearance.”

“You still do not trust me.” It was not a question but an observation.

He was correct, of course. She did not trust him based on the dark gossip surrounding him. Perhaps she merely married into a home she was not meant to leave again. “Hard to say, if I am honest.”

Alek shook his head. “Do not listen to everything you hear. Have I not done my duty as your fiancé in keeping you safe?”

“You have,” she agreed and meant it. He had protected her from her own father for as long as he could the other night. “Thank you.”

“I heard it was not enough.”

Emillie almost tripped over her own feet. “Excuse me?”

“You think for one moment I did not hear what happened after I left?” Alek’s black eyes darkened—something she had not thought possible. They roamed across her face, lingering on the precise place the bruise had formed. “He barred me from seeing you this last week because of what he did. We had words.”

“He was angry about what we did.”

He scowled. “As if hurting you was an appropriate response. No. It will not happen again. You have my word.”

“Why are you doing all of this?” Emillie frowned at him, unable to piece together why he would ever agree to this farce of a marriage. Aside from a wife to bear his future brood, he gained nothing.

“First and foremost,” he said, refocusing on the path ahead, “you are my friend.”

An uncomfortable guilt settled in her gut. She had never been a very good friend to him. He had always pined after Ariadne, and in turn, she was the first to write him off as a rake and the center of scandal.

“Secondly,” he continued, “Caldwell is also my friend. He and I had several conversations about how we would change this kingdom into something far greater than it has become. I was not surprised by his heritage, and though I was disappointed he had not trusted me with such information, I understand why he chose to keep it a secret. Letting the General kill him outright would have been a waste of a great man.”

How he had pieced together Azriel’s lineage prior to her exposing him, she had no idea. Despite all her wonderings and questions about his fae father, she had not once gleaned that he could be a dhemon.

“Finally,” he pressed on, still not looking at her, “I am in no position to truly pursue courtship with any Caersan women. Not while people continue to speak of me as they have these last years. Your proposition was, in short, an ideal way for us both to benefit from a tragedy. I continue as I have, and you gain status and protection while you pursue your…interests.”

Emillie hesitated before throwing caution to the wind. “Are the rumors true, then?”

“No.” Alek glanced at her. “Not entirely.”

“Do you say this to ease my worries?”

Another grin spread across his face. “A bit. I will show you the truth of it all one day, and I hope you will understand.”

A good enough answer, even if it did not ease the anticipatory knot in her chest. “You know what I wish from you as my husband, but what do you expect of me as your wife?”

Yet again, the Lord Governor fell into a thoughtful silence. He let out a long sigh, his smile fading, and he tilted his head to the side when he finally looked back at her. No mischief shone in his eyes, just cool understanding. “Children. That is all.”

Though Emillie did not find the idea of bedding Alek Nightingale enticing—the idea of bedding any man failed to arouse her the way it did for many women—she could accept that as his one and only stipulation. So long as he did not seek such activities often. She took his hand in hers and gave it a squeeze. “I can do that.”

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