Page 111 of Court of Secrets and Flames

“Thank you.” I offer him a grateful nod as he sets the tray on the table and we both drop onto one of the couches, enoughdistance between us to be considered proper if anyone were to come in. “And it’s just Lark. No need for all that.”

The sight of food does little to appease my headache, yet I cannot deny myself the salve of companionship. Sterling and I must tread with extreme caution, now more than ever. But at least I can spend time with one of his friends.

As we settle into the ritual of taste-testing, Agnar sampling each dish with exaggerated caution, his blue eyes twinkling with mirth, the heaviness in my chest begins to lift.

Agnar has quickly become my favorite dining companion. As he eats, he launches into a tale, passing me each dish when he has no reaction. I can’t help but laugh at the image of Sterling caught in a moment of undignified hilarity.

“Sterling’s face was the shade of ripe cherries when his breeches split.” Agnar grins at the memory. “It was priceless.”

“Really?” I let out another wispy chuckle. “And here I thought the prince of Tirene was impervious to embarrassment.”

“It’s hard to embarrass him these days. But we were kids at the time, maybe eleven or twelve. And he had a crush on one of the girls there.” Agnar winks conspiratorially. “I may or may not have weakened the seam with a particularly small knife.”

I bring my hand to my mouth, nearly choking on my roasted potatoes. “Agnar. You didn’t.”

“If you tell him, I swear I’ll deny it.” He shoots me a mock scowl. “I don’t care that it happened years ago. You don’t know what he’s like when he’s angry.”

I manage to swallow the food. “Are you kidding? When I first met Sterling,angrywas his middle name. I’m pretty sure he wanted to kill me a time or two.”

“Doubt it.”

“I’m serious. No matter what I said or did, I somehow always managed to get under his skin.”

He snorts. “I bet you did. Don’t worry. It’s good for him. A few lessons in patience never hurt anyone.”

“Well, I’ve given him more than a few…though to be fair, he knows exactly how to push my buttons. It’s probably instinct.”

“Want to know something?” Agnar leans forward like he’s going to spill some secret. “He enjoys pushing your buttons.”

My eyes widen. “He told you that?”

“Didn’t have to. I just know the prince well. And although I haven’t known you long, I get the feeling you like it too.”

“I like it when he pushes my buttons, or I like pushing his?”

“Both.” He grins. “You two belong together.”

“Shh.” I put a finger to my lips and glance at the door. In all the excitement, Sterling and I never found out what the king planned to say about the three of us, but as far as I know, he hasn’t changed his mind about the betrothal.

“Don’t worry.” Agnar pats my knee in a gesture that I find oddly comforting. “We won’t let anything happen to you.”

“We?”

“Sterling and I. Blair, too, of course.”

“Coming from the man who tried to kidnap me. And I got the impression you weren’t too fond of me when I first arrived in Tirene.” I blow out a breath. “Anyway, all that aside, don’t make promises you may not be able to keep.”

“It was nothing personal. I was just doing my job…or trying to. You didn’t exactly go easy on us. Besides, I may have…misjudged you at first.” Color rises to his cheeks. “You’re not at all what I thought you would be like.”

“And what would that be?”

“Spoiled. Entitled. A distraction the prince didn’t need.” He shrugs. “I knew, from the way Sterling acted on the flight here and after we’d arrived, that he’d been mixing business with pleasure. And I worried it wouldn’t end well for him.”

“Tell me how you really feel.” Though my tone contains a sarcastic bite, Agnar’s assessment stings.

“Well, I don’t feel that way now.” He rolls his eyes with a slight grin before his face becomes more sombe. “Like I said, I misjudged you. You have a good heart, Lark. You care about people, and you care about the dragons. You make the prince happy.”

A knot of emotion lodges in my throat, and my voice comes out breathy. “I don’t know what to say.”

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