Page 104 of Bride of the Midnight Prince

I take a deep breath through my nostrils and sigh. “She is not a threat to us. I have spent a great deal of time trying to understand the situation, and she has admitted to me that she is in danger and in need of protection. That is why I have let her stay.”

“So she has told you that she is a woman?”

I keep my face motionless. “She has not.”

A small noise of concern emits from his throat.

“Do not expose her to the servants,” I say. “I’m doing what I can to protect her.”

Edvear nods, unhappy, but obedient. “Lady Duxbury Vandermore is free to call on first thing tomorrow, if that suits you.”

“That suits me well. Tell Nat to be ready for an outing. I’ll take her with me.”

Chapter 31

Kat

Rahktakeshismealin his room and asks me to stay and play Fool’s Circle with him. I gladly oblige and bring both his game and mine to the table. We’ve been playing with the variation he gave me every now and then, to the point that I cannot decide which I enjoy more.

It’s Rahk’s move when he says casually, “Since you have grown older since our last discussion on the topic, do you ever think about marriage now?”

Just like in our prior conversation, I drop the piece I’m holding. I look up to find him studying me intently. Swallowing, I make my move and try to feign nonchalance. “No.”

“Ah.”

“But I take it that you do?”

“Indeed, I have been.”

“None of these human women will marry you,” I say.

He snorts, but I didn’t mean to tell a joke. I was merely stating a fact. He doesn’t know how terrified they all are of him. Surely, he noticed the wide berth they gave him at the queen’s luncheon!

“There is one who, rumor has it, will marry me if I ask.”

“Is there?” I ask, trying to withhold my dubious chortle. I cannot think of a single young lady—except maybe Bridget, if she felt like the only alternative was spinsterhood—who would willingly marry a fae.

“I haven’t met her yet,” says Rahk thoughtfully. “I’ve tried on multiple occasions, but she has always been out. Her family was willing to accept my proposal on her behalf, however.”

I scoff. It reminds me at once of Agatha and how hard she has worked to make me marry Lord Boreham, which still strikes me as vastly strange.

“Why do you find that amusing?” he asks.

I pull my face back under my control. “Nothing. I just wouldn’t want to marry someone I’d never seen before.”

He smiles, looking slightly conspiratorial as he leans closer to the board. “Would you think me incredibly shallow to hope I like how she looks?”

I scowl. “I would, my lord.”

He laughs outright at that, a warm twinkle in his eyes that I cannot make sense of.

“Shouldn’t you think more of the girl?” I ask, chewing on my lips and frowning. “What if she is scared to marry someone she hasn’t met? Or someone she doesn’t know if she can even tolerate? Or someone she findsdisgusting? What if she doesn’t want the marriage, but her family is only forcing her into it? After all, as the man, you have most of the power in the situation.”

“Do I?”

“Of course you do.” I place my move, then look up. He’s still studying me. Why does he look at me with that focused expression like he’s testing me? “I don’t know what it’s like where you’re from, but here . . . marriage can be a vulnerable thing for a woman.”

“You are very sensitive to this subject for a twelve-year-old lad.”

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