Page 42 of Steel Heart Iron Claws

Lady Runa leans in, practically salivating at this scandalous comment. Kendan shifts in his chair, eyebrows knitting together as he carefully sets down his silverware to keep his hands free—for what, I can only imagine.

The air feels so tense I could prick it with a needle.

Rian leans casually on his elbow, stroking his chin as he looks studiously down his long lashes at her. “Are you aware you’re speaking to a king, Lady Suri?”

Her hands tighten on the edge of the table. Biting her tongue, she says carefully, “I will not arrange aparadeof women for you, Majesty.”

Lady Runa pops a grape into her mouth as her attention volleys between them.

Rian sits back in his heavy oak chair, his steel crown aglow from candlelight, as he appraises Suri with newfound interest. I don’t need my godkiss to see the mischief dancing behind his eyes.

He loves this—loves her hatred.

He stands and walks slowly to Suri’s chair, then grips the chair back and leans in to purr in her ear, “Very well. If you do not find me an acceptable bride, then I suppose I will have to marryyou.”

Suri doubles over, coughing into her cloth napkin. It takes her a moment of composure before she can eek out, “Majesty, surely you jest!”

Rian shrugs one shoulder as he returns to his place totake a long drink of wine. “I am quite serious, in fact. You’re young. Healthy. Of a noble line. I believe that checks all the boxes. Not to mention, it would save me an immense amount of time.” His eyes jump to her with a dark, cruel kind of triumph. “Of course, should you not wish to wear my ring, I’ll expect you to present the top candidates next week.”

After tipping his glass to her, he strides off to speak with the generals.

Suri is left trembling with rage to the point where I can hear her fingernails clicking. She murmurs, “He truly is psychotic.”

Resting my hands on either side of my plate, I murmur, “You’ve done the worst thing you could, Lady Suri. You caught Rian’s attention.”

“Iinsultedhim!” she hisses.

“That’s the problem.” I tuck a loose strand of my hair behind my ear. “Rian has only ever known hatred. His father did terrible things—things you couldn’t imagine. His brothers abandoned him. His grandmother—well, you know Lady Eleonora’s wrath. And so, the fact that you, also despise him? Helikesit, if only because it’s familiar. Love and hate—they’re all mixed together in the Valvere family. The more you hate him, the more he’ll enjoy torturing you back.”

She presses a delicate hand on her neckline to clear a tremor from her throat. To her credit, she faces this news bravely—with a thoughtful head tilt—instead of blanching.

“What does that mean for his feelings toward Sabine?” she asks.

I jolt again, hearing the name. Hot candle wax on myballs couldn’t make me writhe with as much pleasure and pain.

“W—what do you mean?”

“Did he ever love her?” Suri asks softly, eyes hunting out Rian in the crowd as he whispers low into a general’s ear. “Or was it a confusion—love and hate?”

I pause, hanging on the verge of answering, yet my thoughts go blank. The truth is, I have no idea how Rian felt about Sabine. Like all memories that surround her, it’s a void.

Across the hall, Rian signals to me.

“Excuse me, Lady Suri.” I push my chair back.

Rian motions me to a quiet corner of the Grand Hall, where he says in a low voice, “Someone needs to shadow Kendan.”

I try to hide my surprise. “Your brother?”

“There are stirrings that he’s been meeting with the wrong kind of people.”

A chill creeps up my spine, because I’m usually very good at sniffing out traitors. And I haven’t gotten so much as a whiff of suspicion from Rian’s older brother.

Arrogance? Oh, yes. But not deceit.

I give a curt nod. “I’ll do it.”

Rian rests a hand on my shoulder, shaking his head. “No, Wolf, you’re above that now. You’re First Sword. Send Folke instead.”

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