Page 106 of Crown of Hearts
“Unfortunately, Lance did a little too much damage just to be forgiven without consequence. Though I will admit his advice has been helpful at times. Even if he only cares to help me as long as he can get something out of it.”
“What advice are you talking about?” Cai asked.
“I already told you: he said I should marry you.”
“Yes, the one and only reason you’re marrying me: because Lance said so.”
“Ha.” I pinched him softly. “Very funny.”
Cai’s brow creased. “Lance said that Eloisa managed to escape under the watch of her palace guards, right? And then someone saw her at the docks?”
“Yes,” I said, not entirely sure where he was going with this.
“Do you think it’s a coincidence she ended up here with Aries?” We’d had this conversation before, wondering just how Eloisa managed to fall right into the hands of our enemy. It was too convenient. Too coincidental.
“I’m rather sure Aries orchestrated it. But to what end?”
“He could’ve lured us here for many different reasons.”
I shuddered, not wanting to admit that Aries could be so much smarter than me and that maybe there was a good reason people feared him.
“I think I need a break from being queen.” I rubbed my tired eyes and then remembered I was probably smudging the kohl that Anesta had lined them with.
“We could always go away after the wedding.” Cai wiggled his eyebrows, and I gave him a look.
“You know what I mean.” I tried to ignore the heat crawling up my neck.
“Try and get a good night’s rest, at least, and you’ll already feel better by morning.” He sat up.
“I’ll feel better when this is over.”
“That too.” He placed a soft kiss on my cheek before saying goodnight.
* * *
I was on my way to breakfast the next morning with a rumbling stomach. Anesta hadn’t spared any effort with my attire, though I’d begged her to keep it as simple as possible. I didn’t feel like fancy dresses and glamorous accessories today. It was too hot anyway. It didn’t feel like winter was approaching in this desert of a place.
As I walked down the halls, I found myself craving freshly squeezed orange juice, and then wanted to laugh at the realisation. How very spoiled and privileged I’d become.
Back in Camp Fairfrith, breakfast wasn’t even always available, and here I was planning to satiate my hunger with a decadent breakfast spread.
“Good morning, Eloisa.”
I froze at the sound of King Aries’ voice behind me, combined with disbelief. Eloisa?
Had something happened last night after I saw her? Had she woken up from her episode and talked to Aries, so he now thought I was her?
He can only see the back of your head, I reminded myself. Or had he been lying and she hadn’t been in that state since the day after she’d arrived?
I turned around and plastered a smile on my face. I’d pretended to be Eloisa before. How difficult could it be? My mind continued to remind me involuntarily that, the last time, things didn’t exactly work out very well. But if something suspicious was going on, I wanted to find out.
“Morning.” I swallowed audibly.
Aries approached confidently. He was dressed in a fine tunic, a large knife sheathed at his waist. I started to sense why everyone dressed the way they did in Argon. The sunbeams streaming in through the large open windows alerted me that it was going to be another scorcher of a day.
“Shall we go to breakfast together?” He extended his arm, and I hooked mine in the crook of his elbow.
Bad idea. Bad idea. Bad idea.
