Page 13 of The Twisted Throne

“Likewise, Your Grace.” He took her hand and carefully kissed her scarred knuckles, painfully aware of his bare feet and ruined clothing. However, unlike the Ithicanians, Maridrinians were something he had experience with. “We’d intended for somewhat more pomp and infinitely less violence.”

“Fortunately for you, Ithicana is more comfortable with violence than pomp,” King Aren interjected, and James did not fail tonote the way he took his queen’s hand, pulling her close. Theirs was a match much discussed at court, and it would appear that the rumors that the Ithicanian king was deeply in love with his Maridrinian wife were true.

But James wasnothere for fodder for the court’s rumor mill. “I must ask, is Your Grace’s sister, the Princess Ahnna, safe and unharmed?”

God help him if she wasn’t. Circumstances couldn’t get much worse.

A faint smile formed on the king’s face. Then he turned to look at the Ithicanian woman who’d rescued James, who now appeared as though she’d rather be anywhere but on this pier. “You might have introduced yourself, Ahnna.”

Things couldalwaysget worse.

Bowing low, he said, “Apologies, Your Highness. Allow me to introduce myself. I’m—”

“We know who you are, William,” Aren interrupted. “Given you’ve been betrothed to my sister for most of her life.”

Things could always get much,muchworse.

Lara gave a soft cough that sounded a great deal like “wrong prince,” and Aren rocked on his heels, eyes narrowed as he looked James up and down. “You’re not William.”

“I’m afraid not.”

Princess Ahnna’s suntanned cheeks were blushed pink with discomfort. “William has green eyes, whereas yours are…” She trailed off, her hazel gaze meeting James’s for a brief moment before she looked away, her disappointment palpable.

James might have flinched, but he was long used to such a reaction.

“Amber eyes offuckingCardiff,” Aren said with a scowl. “Edward sent his goddamned bastard.”

As soon as she’d seenhis eye color, Ahnna had known who James was, but there’d been no chance to tell Aren, and she certainly hadn’t expected her brother to make such an ass of himself.

“Aren.” Lara’s voice was reproving, but he only said, “William couldn’t be bothered to come himself?”

James inclined his head. “No insult was intended, Your Grace. As we’ve just witnessed, the seas are fraught with danger, and tension between Harendell and Amarid is high. Her Grace, Queen Alexandra, was loath to risk the heir to the throne when so many would be glad to see him dead.”

So the opinions of William’s character had not been off the mark, after all. The missive had said it would be him coming to retrieve her, but even so, Ahnna felt like an idiot for having mistaken James for William.

“If the seas are so dangerous, perhaps I should not be risking my sister,” Aren said. “Ahnna is, for the time being, the heir to Ithicana’s throne.”

Ahnna bit the insides of her cheeks, because it had been Ithicana who’d requested that steps be taken toward a wedding, not Harendell. Yet instead of pointing that out, James only said, “I defer to your judgment, Your Grace. If you deem the risk too great, Harendell would gladly defer the princess’s arrival to a later—”

“I will leave for Harendell now,” Ahnna interrupted. “Amarid spent a great deal of resources on this attack, and I doubt they’ll make another attempt with our guard up. Travel now is as safe as it will ever be, and”—she glanced over her shoulder at clouds growing in the east—“it looks as though a storm is brewing, so we should not linger.”

Aren glanced east, started to scoff at what was clearly only a small squall, then fell silent as their eyes locked.

I need you to trust me,she silently willed her brother.Ithicana needs this.

I need this.

His jaw tightened, and he appeared ready to argue, but Lara rested a hand on his arm. As always, he conceded to her influence. Silence stretched, then Aren said, “There is no safe time. The seas are always dangerous, and delaying will only give Amarid the time to organize another attack.” He turned to the soldiers lining the pier. “Get this mess cleared up and their ship tied off. Move!”

The Northwatch guard rushed to obey, and James said, “I will need time to collect the bodies of the fallen, Your Grace. They were good men, and they deserve to have their remains returned to their families.”

Jor looked over the side of the pier, and he gave a shake of his head.

Aren sighed. “There will be little to retrieve, I’m afraid. The sharks move quickly and without mercy when there is blood in our waters.”

James’s expression didn’t change, but as he said, “Understood,” Ahnna saw the flash of grief in his eyes. Pain over the loss of soldiers and crew that she rarely witnessed in experienced commanders. Which, given what she knew from her research on the royal family, he most certainly was.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “For the loss of your men. We should have been better prepared.”

---