Page 70 of The Gilded Cage

“To Oriel?”

“To me.” Sheepishly, he added, “More a bribe than anything else.”

“Let me guess,” Kiva said dryly. “They have an heir of marriageable age?”

Jaren didn’t meet her eyes, which was confirmation enough. “Ori was lonely at the time. There weren’t many kids around the palace, and Mirry, Cal, Ash, and I were all so busy with politics and training. When Flox arrived, I gave him to my brother, and they became fast friends.”

“And yet, he’s much more obsessed with you,” she noted.

“I hear it’s because I’m irresistible.”

The look Jaren sent Kiva made her want to jump out the window all over again.

Clearing her throat, she returned to their earlier topic. “Before we were interrupted” — she stroked Flox’s spine — “you were talking about a threat to the kingdom.”

Jaren was silent for a long time, long enough for Kiva to wonder if he’d changed his mind about sharing, but then he said, “Do you remember what I told you in Zalindov about the other kingdoms fearing the rebel movement will spread into their lands? How in some cases it already has?”

Kiva bit her cheek and nodded.

“Do you remember what else I said?” Jaren asked. “About Mirraven and Caramor waiting for any sign of weakness?”

“You think they’re going to invade?” she asked, feigning concern — not that shewasn’tconcerned.

“Something is stirring up north,” Jaren said, not quite answering. “There have always been warnings, threats, the usual. But something has changed recently, from around the time we started negotiating with Mirraven for Tilda’s transfer into our custody. They were so difficult, refusing to accept any of our terms, no matter how generous.”

That last part was news to Kiva, and she straightened beside him.

“I’ve only learned about most of this since leaving Zalindov,” he went on, “and it doesn’t make sense to me. We offered them some things they’ve wanted for a long time, including greater access to our luminium stores and looser restrictions for border crossings, both of which would hurt our economy while boosting theirs. But they weren’t interested.”

A strange feeling came over Kiva, and she flattened her free hand against her suddenly churning stomach, recalling her sister’s words from earlier that day.

King Navok was more than happy to make a deal with the Rebel Queen. In return, he only had to make it so the negotiations between kingdoms resolved with her heading to Zalindov.

Kiva had been so caught up in everything else that she hadn’t thought to question the deal Tilda had proposed in return for Mirraven turning down Evalon’s request for an extradition agreement. But now Kiva couldn’t help wondering — what had her mother offered? What had shedone?

“The council fears what their lack of cooperation means, especially since they’re no longer answering any of our missives,” Jaren said. “The same goes for Caramor. Both kingdoms have always envied Evalon — our lands are rich and prosperous while theirs are largely barren. They’ve never hidden their desire to invade us, but with the Tanestra Mountains in their path, and our armies prepared to meet any attacking force, they’ve always been too smart to try. Now, though ... I can’t help thinking they’ve decided it’s worth the risk, especially while we’re distracted by our internal troubles with the rebels.”

Throat dry, Kiva asked, “Then isn’t it good that the rebels are quiet right now? Because you’renotdistracted?”

Jaren nodded, but he didn’t seem convinced.

“Why do you still look so concerned?” Kiva asked.

“It’s just —” Jaren ran a hand through his hair, the golden ends sticking out all over the place. “I love my people too much not to worry about them. It’s an intrinsic part of who I am — wanting to keep them safe. So I don’t like the idea of any threat looming over us, even if I’m confident of our own defenses.”

Kiva couldn’t keep from raising an eyebrow. “You’re the heir to the richest land in Wenderall. You’realwaysgoing to have threats looming over you.”

Jaren made a sound that was part laugh, part groan. “Believe me, I know.” He then straightened his shoulders and said, “Even if Mirraven and Caramor decide to try, they won’t make it very far into Evalon. We have too many defenses blocking them. It’s a fool’s errand, and that’s the only reason I’m able to sleep at night.”

When Kiva turned skeptically toward the darkened windows, Jaren amended, “Well, most nights.”

“So you’re worried in general, but not about anything specific,” she summarized.

“I’m worried about plenty of specific things.” Jaren looked at Flox and added, somewhat dryly, “Like whether I’ll ever be able to leave this couch.”

“Such a conundrum,” Kiva teased.

Jaren smiled, but then he quickly sobered. “Speaking of leaving, I meant to tell you earlier, but we got distracted by the most humiliating dinner of my existence.”

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