Page 33 of Steel Heart Iron Claws

“And why is that?” Kendan asks. “Did my little brother speak ill of your late husband?”

“Actually, he murdered him,” she answers sweetly.

A scowl plunges Rian’s face into shadow.

Kendan chokes on his next breath, doubling over to mask his surprise as he turns briefly to face the wall, pinching his nose to stop from laughing. “Dear lady, we are lucky to have a prize such as yourself in this fair city.”

Rian taps his foot, unamused with their flirtation.

“Lady Suri is here atmyinvitation,” Rian emphasizes, eyes sparking with jealousy over their instant comradery at his expense. “She will be a great credit tomyleadership of Astagnon. In fact—” His eyebrows arch sharply, “—I’ve decided to grant her the position of Castlekeep.”

A murmur breaks out from the senior staff lining thewall, who have been silently waiting to be presented to the future king.

An elegant older woman with a cherrywood cane pinches her lips, fingers twisting on the cane. The current Castlekeep, I assume, given her obvious displeasure.

Suri’s cheeks darken. “What?” she sputters, eyes round as the moon. “I’d sooner clean a pig barn than take a rag to your castle?—”

“You deny a direct order from your Rising King?” Rian challenges, tipping his chin so he can look down from his full height.

She juts her chin defiantly, but she’s still a head shorter. My ears detect a rustle as she pushes herself to tiptoe, a fact hidden from everyone else by her skirt. “You invited me here as a member of your court, not a servant.”

“Lady Mildred is Countess of Edgewood,” Rian says as he motions toward the current Castlekeep, grinning as he enjoys the irritation pinching Suri’s pretty lips. “Kendan is Duke of Gwendolyn in addition to Lord of the Iron Banner. Even Wolf has a title now! And yet they allserveHekkelveld Castle.” He adjusts the set of his circlet crown atop his skull. “Some would say I, as king, am, in fact, the realm’s greatest servant.”

“Perhaps the realm’s greatestass,” she mutters.

“Pardon?” Rian says, touching his ear.

She presses her lips together.

I stifle my snort behind my fist.

“Besides.” Rian softens his tone. “The Castlekeep doesn’t scrub or scour—the position merely oversees the castle’s junior staff. I assure you, you won’t be dirtying your pretty hands.”

Suri balls her small fists, but with so many witnesses, she can hardly expect to deny her king a direct order.

Kendan strokes his long chin, observing her like a falcon, waiting to see if she proves herself predator or prey.

Before I realize what I’m doing, I step in. “As Castlekeep, Lady Suri will have keys to every room throughout the castle, isn’t that correct? The storerooms, the attics, thelibrary?”

Suri’s initial look of confusion shifts into understanding as she gazes up at the second-floor hallway, where the top of the library door is barely visible. If she wants that book Sabine was looking for, here’s her golden opportunity.

Both Rian and Kendan cock their heads in identical curiosity. Maybe they aren’t brothers by birth, but they both have the Valvere curiosity.

“Well? Is that true about the keys?” Suri blinks her bird-like eyes at Rian, waiting for an answer.

“Why?” Rian asks slyly. “So you can sneak into my chambers and slit my throat, as I did to your odious husband?”

“Murder would not be thefirstthing on my mind, Majesty,” she says sweetly.

“Oh?” he leers.

Her cheeks pinken as she blurts out, “Neither is your bed!”

Rian’s grin only stretches wider.

“Keyguard is one major responsibility of Castlekeep,” Kendan offers as he strides over to the current Castlekeep, and, after a brief exchange of words, returns with a jangling keyring balanced on one finger.

Rian swipes it from him with a glower, thenoffers it to Suri.

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