Page 136 of A Queen's Game
“You’ve said that twice now,” she said, raising a speculative brow. “You honor such a lowly half-elf as me by making sucha comparison.” She gave him a mock bow. She shouldn’t be so carefree with the King, but what was the harm?
King Wyltam exhaled a slight laugh, looking in the opposite direction as if he wanted to hide it. To get a laugh from such an austere man delighted her. Perhaps he wasn’t a storm cloud after all.
“Come,” he said, holding out his arm, “walk with me.”
The fabric of his black shirt was soft against her skin as Marietta took his arm. From the corner of his eye, he stared at Marietta with a light smile lining his lips. He flipped his head to fling his hair away from his face.
Marietta noted he had no entourage, no guards at his side. Wouldn’t Keyain make sure soldiers protected the King? Yet King Wyltam was alone in the Glass Garden as he was in the Central Garden the week prior. Under her grasp was the King’s hidden strength, leading her to wonder how capable he was of defending himself.
“I’m lucky I get your company once again after Keyain kept you hidden for a week.” The King leaned in close to her head. “Seemed our plan worked a little too well.”
“I think it worked perfectly,” she said, shrugging. For a moment, she thought back to King Wyltam’s gaze as he kissed her hand. Her next step hit the edge of the stone path, her ankle rolling as she gasped.
The King caught her, one arm tucked around her middle, before helping her stand. “Careful now,” he murmured.
She tried to shrug it off with a stride, but the pain caused her to curse. “I can’t put any gods damn weight on it.”
“Such a filthy mouth for a lady.”
Marietta cut him a glare.
Offering a small smile, the King said, “If you’d like, I can carry you.”
She looked down at the dual slits of her skirt, knowing that if the King cradled her, the fabric would fall away to the top of her hips. “How about you help me walk to a bench?”
“Of course,” he said, lifting his arm.
Marietta placed her weight on the King, wincing as she stepped. He eased her onto a stone bench beside a manicured row of boxwood. Bushes of purple-flowered thyme and basil grew in planters flanked on either side. King Wyltam sat beside her, his leg touching hers. She peered down at her throbbing ankle, hissing as she tried to move it.
“It’s swollen already,” the King noted, leaning down to inspect. “Here, rest it on the bench. Raising it should help with the swelling.” He stood as she protested.
“I will not make you stand while my leg takes up the bench,” she said, scoffing.
The King sat down once more. “Then put it on my lap.” He looked down at her ankle, his dark eyes glancing back at her.
“I am most certainly not putting my leg on your lap.” She leaned away from him with a scowl. “It’ll be fine as is.”
“It’ll only get worse, so either I stand so you can place your leg across the bench, or I sit so you can place it across my lap.”
“Is that a demand from the King?” she said, mockingly.
“Actually,” he said with a tilt of his head, “it is. Now pick one, or I’ll pick for you.”
She sighed. “Fine, sit.”
The King raised her leg, Marietta having to turn, so she stretched across the seat. She leaned back on her hands to support herself, careful of the skirt of her dress and where it fell open. Such proximity in the dress would have made her uncomfortable. However, if the King loved Keyain—found someone like Keyain attractive—then surely such a show of skin wasn’t an issue for her.
“Under different circumstances, I would say this is inappropriate,” she said.
“Curious, what circumstances?”
Marietta gestured at her leg. “At least you don’t find me attractive.”
The King glanced down, then back at her. “Please explain to me why I would not find you attractive?”
“Because you loved Keyain, and fortunately my body is completely different from his.”
“Quite presumptuous of you. I find different aspects attractive depending on the gender. For example, I like women with curves.” His gaze drifted to her thighs for a moment. “And prefer men or non-binary persons with brawn.” A playful smile held his lips as he stared at Marietta. “That being said, I do, in fact, find you rather attractive.”
