Page 156 of A Queen's Game
She felt no remorse as Keyain wiped his face and poured himself a fresh glass of whiskey. “This is different. The King—”
“So it was from the King.”
“Who else would it be?”
“Exactly.” She walked back into the living room, returning to her book with her drink in hand.
As expected, Keyain followed her, exasperated. “The King isn’t your friend, Marietta.”
“You’re right,” she drawled, not looking up from the pages. “He’s yours.”
“So, him giving you inappropriate attention—”
She jerked her face toward him. “Inappropriate attention? Keyain, he’s making sure I am well-adjusted in Satiros,especially after….” She gestured with her hands at the suite, referring to the days spent rotting away.
“A king shouldn’t be the one to do so.”
“You’re right,” she said, softening her expression. “But someone had to.”
The insult landed. Keyain’s eyes fluttered closed as he took a deep breath. Gods, if he gripped the glass any tighter, then it’d shatter.
“Come sit,” Marietta said, patting the seat next to her.
Keyain trudged over, taking a hefty swig as he sat. Her fingers played with the short brown waves of his hair, the touch easing his jaw.
“I know you’re nottryingto control me,” she murmured, “but you must realize that’s what you’re doing. King Wyltam is your friend, and he’s extending that friendship to me.” Keyain faced forward, unable to see the lie plain on her face. “Please, give me the note. It wasn’t yours.”
With a deep sigh, Keyain dug into his pocket and handed the crumpled-up paper. Scrawled in the King’s handwriting was another short and simple note.
I have made arrangements for us to visit the Ertwyrmer Sculpture Gardens in the morning if you still wish to visit. It would be my honor to give you your first tour. I await your reply.
Marietta fought the smile that her lips wanted to form. During their carriage ride, the King mentioned the sculpture garden. She had said she’d love to visit. He remembered.
“It’s unsafe for both of you to be in a public garden,” Keyain said, watching her closely. “Too many hidden areas, dense underbrush. Even if guards sweep the gardens before you arrive, it’ll still leave an opportunity for you to be abducted.”
She should have held her tongue, but anger blossomed at her center. “Ah yes, it would bewrongto abduct me.”
Keyain shot her an annoyed glance. “I thought you’ve been enjoying your time here with me. My apologies.”
He went to stand, but she caught his arm, sitting him back on the couch. She folded his hand into hers with a kiss. “I’m sorry,” she lied, “but I don’t like not making my own decisions. I want to go. The King won’t put me at risk.” She pressed a kiss onto his cheek.
He sighed, finishing his drink before placing the empty glass on the table. “Come here,” he murmured. Marietta set her drink and book to the side, climbing into his lap. “I love you, Marietta.”
She shouldn’t say it. To tell Keyain such a lie would be the most cruel. “I love you, too.”
He pulled back, staring at her face. “What did you say?”
“I love you, too.”
Keyain’s mouth found hers, his arms pulling her close as he pushed her onto her back. Not bothering to move to the bed, Keyain unzipped her dress, hastily pulling the fabric away.
Marietta started on the buttons of his shirt, but Keyain grabbed the bottom hem, pulling it off and tossing it to the side. His pants came off just as quickly, and then he was inside her, both moaning from the touch, the release.
Perhaps it was too far to say those words to him, but they worked. Marietta was wedging herself between Keyain and the King faster than she ever anticipated. And as Keyain whispered the words into her neck as he thrust, she felt no remorse as she repeated them back.
Though it was well before noon, the weather was hot and dry, summer fully coming to fruition. To appease Keyain, Marietta wore a relatively modest dress of light white fabric. Thehandmaids helped tie Marietta’s curls into a loose knot on top of her head to keep her hair off her neck. On her feet were sandals instead of slippers.
The King’s outfit surprised Marietta, though perhaps it shouldn’t have. He wore all black despite the heat, but his shirt was of a thinner fabric. He left the top buttons undone to let a section of his chest show.
