Page 47 of The King's Sword
“I do,” he replied, tucking the bottle in his bag.
Gemma raised a single eyebrow, her glance going between Sabine and Evander. “I sure as hell hope you have your story straight because they are going to grill you.” She turned and joined her fighters who all seemed to be giving Evander and Sabine some space.
Evander sighed, resting his head against the side of the boat and diligently looking at the ceiling.
“Is everything okay?” Sabine asked, wondering about Evander and what sort of relationship he had with the rest of his family.
“You know how sometimes you get these grand ideas and you’re so sure they’ll work just as you imagined?” He tilted his head, looking her in the eyes.
She laughed because she understood exactly what he was talking about. “Yes, only you know things never go as planned.”
“Yes, I’m learning that.” He smiled an adorable half-smile.
Sabine leaned her head on Evander’s shoulder. “Your sister looks pretty intimidating dressed in those pants and tunic.” There had been a couple of women in the Avoni delegation and they had worn something similar.
“Please don’t tell her that. Her head is big enough already.”
She laughed again. “Are all women in Avoni, regardless of station, allowed to fight?”
Evander drew little circles on the back of her hand. “Of course. Why wouldn’t they?”
“I don’t know. Because they’re women?”
It was his turn to laugh. “You Bakleys are so backwards sometimes.”
Sabine had never thought much about the way women were treated until she’d left Bakley and saw vastly different behaviors and customs in other kingdoms. She had a lot to learn. “Why did your sister give you that ominous warning a few minutes ago?”
“Because I sort of wasn’t supposed to go with the delegation to Lynk. I’m sure my parents are going to be furious with me.”
That surprised her—both that he wasn’t supposed to go in the first place and that he’d gone without permission. “I thought you are your family’s League representative?” And a representative had to be there to approve of her marriage to Rainer.
“I am,” he admitted. “But I only took up that role a few months ago. Prior to that, I…uh…had been too young.”
“You’re eighteen?” she asked.
“Yes.”
He was the same age as her then. “So your sister is concerned your parents will be upset that you went against their wishes?”
“Yes. Their direct orders, actually.” He rubbed his face. “I’m the only son. They thought my sister, Carin, should go instead. She’s twenty and apparently since she’s third born, they can spare her.” His voice dripped with sarcasm.
“Why’d you do it then?”
He shrugged. “Carin didn’t want to go, and I was curious to see Lynk and meet King Rainer.” He peered down at her, his brows drawing together ever so slightly.
“What’s that look for?”
He sighed and glanced about the boat. Anywhere, really, but at her.
“Evander?”
“I watched the two of you together,” he whispered. “I assumed he seduced you to get what he wanted from you and your kingdom. You seemed so taken with him. As if he had you under his spell.”
Sabine’s face warmed thinking about her time with Rainer. Whenever she’d been with him, she’d felt a physical connection between them, but that was all. She suspected he was that way with most everyone since he was such a sensual person. He had been in a relationship with Heather for years and that was the woman he loved, not Sabine. When Rainer and Sabine were together, it was all for show. A performance to make sure the people of Lynk thought they were in love to strengthen Rainer’s position as their new king.
She hated that Evander thought her so naive. She especially hated that he assumed she was taken with Rainer but Rainer wasn’t taken with her. It made sense since she was so much younger than the king. And she wasn’t nearly as beautiful as Heather. Yet, the thought of someone else seeing it so easily embarrassed her.
“I guess it doesn’t matter,” Evander said. “You’re married to Rainer, and you are the queen of Lynk.” He leaned his head back against the side of the boat again. “My parents are going to be furious with me.”
