Page 146 of A War of Crowns

“What?” she couldn’t help but ask, though she had heard him perfectly well. He had said it loud enough. All of Goldreach had probably heard him.

But it didn’t change the fact he couldn’tdothat. He couldn’t simply undo with words alone what had been promised between them before so many witnesses, before even Oracle Tsukiko. Theywereengaged. They had to be wed.

For the sake of the treaty, if nothing else.

She still needed Edmund’s aid for now. She needed Drakmor’s friendship until she could appeal to the Church and to the Emperor of Lothmeer again.

But if Aldric simply wrote himself out of the equation, the treaty would be null. Drakmor would become her enemy.

And Elmoria would fall.

Seraphina leaned forward in her seat and reminded her Crow on a whisper, “We are bound by ade factobetrothal—”

“Then say I died in the assassination attempt,” he snarled. “No one can fault you if I’m dead.”

She frowned, hardly believing his words. She saw his lips move. She heard what he was saying. And yet, she still couldn’t believe it. “You can’t be serious, Aldric.”

He didn’t relent. He didn’t yield. His jaw hardened when he declared, “I’m afraid I am.”

Seraphina drew in a shaky breath. Suddenly light-headed, she gripped the arms of her throne and slowly reasoned, “But thetreaty. I must marry you to uphold Elmoria’s end of the treaty. Edmund will not continue to support us in Mysai with you dead.”

Aldric hesitated at that. She couldn’t read him well, but she read him well enough to see a thought had just skimmed through his mind.

But then he scoffed and drew back in close. His fingertips brushed hers by accident when he gripped the arms of her throne again himself. Within that renewed nearness, he whispered, “Thenlie. You seem to be rather good at it. Tell the world I am injured. I am confined to a bed.” He tilted his head to the side and added, his warm breath brushing her cheek, “Then wait for good news from Mysai to come before you reveal I’m actually dead.”

“I can’t do that,” she murmured as desperation clawed its way through her. She still had Olivia’s poison ring on her hand. She had forgotten it last night. But she remembered it now. Perhaps she should use it on her Crow. Perhaps she should bind him in chains, like in her vision, and lock him in his room. “I can’t just lie to the world and say you’re dead.”

His nose wrinkled at her words and disgust laced his voice when he snapped back, “My father managed well enough. I’m sure you will, too.”

Seraphina’s heart twinged in a strange way as she searched the scarred expanse of Aldric Hargrave’s visage up close. Was this truly happening?

Was he truly leaving?

“Aldric,” Seraphina implored, even as the man pulled away from her yet again. She reached for him. Her fingers caught on his sleeve.But he jerked his arm from her grasp and shakily descended from the dais with a hand pressed against his stomach.

In silence, he limped toward his men.

Duke Percival reached over and laid a hand on her arm, yet he said nothing.

Behind her, Olivia whispered, “Good riddance. We don’t need him.”

But Seraphina wasn’t so sure. “Where are you going?” she called after him, earning for herself a few glances from his Twelve Sons.

Aldric himself didn’t turn around to look at her again, though. He didn’t answer. He didn’t pause. He just kept going.

“Aldric!” Seraphina called out to him a second time as he made for the double doors leading out of the throne room. His Sons cautiously followed, walking backwards so they might watch her Queensguard during their egress.

They left their blades where they lay on the floor.

But again, her Crow did not stop. He did not look back. He was leaving.

He was truly leaving.

And wasn’t this what she had wanted all along? To be free of him?

She could remain an unwed woman. She could continue to lead Elmoria in her own right. Alone. A queen without a king.

With any luck, lying to Edmund would solve the problem of Mysai.

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