Page 109 of Taking Jenny
Confusion wrapped around me. “But Justice rules all of Orhon. Couldn’t he just make them do it?”
“He rules, but he does so through the strength of the bonds of his allies. No ruler can rule without friends, or in his case,somefriends andmanyenemies, who want your favor. The Sellacs are an old, proud family with many allies around Orhon, Halla, the Outers…they could have made his life difficult. Worse than difficult, when Valor became involved. A high-ranking general, backed by an influential family is too much of a threat, so Justice held Silence out as a preemptive peace bargain. Valor thought he was being rewarded for his military service by getting a princess for his son, but Justice was really just showing him something shiny, while he positioned himself to make his move.”
“That’s disgusting.” I shook my head in shock. “Were you in love with her?”
“No. Not at all,” he said, and I could hear the truth in his tone as his gaze remained on the occupants of the thrones. “I cared for Silence, but that was only because she was one of the few kind people here in the palace. She had a tender heart. Too tender to be with someone like me. And I am too harsh to be with someone like her.”
He ran his fingers through his hair and glanced at me. “It would have been cruel for me to unite with her, and truth be told, I was searching for a way out of it before news of her pregnancy reached my ears. But that does not change the factthat we were betrothed, so I feel—felt—responsible for her in some way. I’m not sure that makes sense—”
“I get it,” I said. “You didn’t want her, but you wanted her to be happy.”
“Precisely,” he said, before his voice thickened with bitterness. “When Justice found out about her pregnancy, his attentions shifted away from the Sellac’s islands. Valor Ladrang is the worst thing to happen to the Bateens since Justice got a modicum of power. Thephilanderer. It’s his fault Silence is dead.”
My body tensed as I fought the urge to defend Valor. But Mal didn’t know him. He didn’t know any of the real details about what had happened and I tried not to snap at him.
But he noticed the way I’d stiffened. “I know he’s your true employer’s father, but he’s still a bastard for what he did to Silence. I understand the urge to defend him, though. It is neither here, nor there.” He took my banwine from me and finished the rest before setting my glass next to his on the window sill. “We should enjoy the party for tonight. Have one good evening before Justice makes his move on Jenny.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Aside from myself and Justice, the entire royal council is dead,” he said in a flat tone. “He has throned, and is laughing with, the woman who is legally responsible for their deaths. The woman who he let walk across the finish line after slaying those men. Do you honestly believe that debt won’t come due?”
CHAPTER 33
Mal
Tiger’s eyes burned through me. “You think Justice is going to take Jenny?”
“I don’t know what his plan is,” I said, glancing back toward the thrones where she sat, far too close to the enemy. “But right now, she’s playing another dangerous game. Only this time, she’s alone. I’m going to fix that. See you in a bit.”
I strolled past Tiger and wove between dancers, overhearing petty conversations and gossip that didn’t matter.
Like Lord Yelskin, who said, “I better be on the short list for council. I’ve earned it.”
I rolled my eyes and pivoted around him and his consort.
Then, Lady Spoolsby, “…such a romantic evening. A perfect night for askingboldquestions, don’t you think?”
I was tempted to tell her,Wind Tru is never going to ask you to unite. It had been plain to everyone for years.
But none of the inane chatter held any bearing on my goal…getting Jenny away from Justice. As I circled yet another boring couple, Justice left his throne and headed straight toward me.Not good.
I grabbed another banwine from a passing servant, moved around a slow-waltzing couple, and came face-to-face with Justice. His expression was unreadable. He tipped his head toward the balcony, so I followed him there.
The moment we stepped outside, the few people lingering cleared out by dashing back into the ballroom. We had absolute privacy, or rather, the absolute privacy afforded to a space I now knew had microphones. Why else would I have been arrested the night I was there with Jenny?
“Having a good Illiapol?” I asked facetiously.
He laughed sharply, his eyes gleaming. “How dare you.”
I merely shrugged and sipped my banwine.
He drank his, too, then said with unnerving calm, “Congratulations.”
I cocked a brow. “How’s that?”
“The money you made on Illiapol. I understand you won a significant amount by betting on Jenny.”
I forced an easy-going chuckle. “Oh, that. Yes well, Kable was good to me.”
