Page 68 of The King's Sword
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“No, I will not seek retribution, but I can’t speak for my husband.” She decided to be as honest as possible. This man sitting before her was not only a king, but an assassin. If she didn’t agree to his terms, he very well might never let her leave here alive.
He nodded, as if he’d expected that response.
“I assume once Evander marries Lottie, that will smooth things over between Lynk and Avoni,” she added. “But again, I have no intention of telling anyone I was kidnapped. In my mind, I wasn’t.”
He nodded. “My wife got it out of you in under fifteen minutes.”
He had a point.
“You should know, I will protect my kingdom,” Kai said, his voice low but forceful. “Even if it means fighting against Lynk.”
“Your wife told me what happened…about the ship.” She had to look down at her hands. Even though she was not responsible for the Avoni delegation’s deaths, she was married to the man who’d ordered the attack.
“Then you understand that once you leave my home,” he raised his hands to indicate the palace, “you will be my enemy.”
Tears filled her eyes. She looked up at King Kai and nodded. “It doesn’t have to be that way.”
“King Rainer is my enemy. You are his wife. Therefore, you are my enemy.”
“I understand.” Sabine recalled the night of the masquerade and assuming the party was to keep the Avoni people occupied while Rainer had their ship searched. However, now she understood it was so he could make the holes and plant the poison to kill them.
Kai drummed his fingers on his leg.
“Why don’t you just send an assassin after Rainer?” she asked, genuinely curious.
“That would break the treaty,” he said. “And I refuse to go against the League. It has kept us free from war for decades. I will be honorable and abide by it. If Rainer chooses not to, that’s on him.”
“And if he breaks it, what happens then?” she asked.
“The other kingdoms will band together to fight him. He will be stripped of his crown.”
“Let me ask you this,” she said, trying to sound contemplative and not combative. “Would the other kingdoms be a threat to Lynk?” Rainer’s soldiers were well trained. Bakley barely had an army. She knew Avoni didn’t have a large standing army but rather assassins. She didn’t know the state of Carlon or Nisk.
“That is something you should know. I am neither your ally nor your educator.” He looked away from her, gazing out at the lake. “Since it seems you are being honest with me, I’d like to ask you a question.” His attention returned to Sabine. “What, precisely, is your relationship with my son?”
“Why do you ask?” she countered, her heart beating loudly as anxiety crept in. She couldn’t help but think he might have seen them kiss before he entered the room. The thought sent a shard of terror through her.
“If I’m questioning it, I’m sure yourhusbandwill as well.”
She knew it was going to be an issue—especially since she’d traveled alone with Evander. “We are friends. Nothing more.” She made sure to maintain eye contact as she spoke so he’d believe her. “My husband will thank your son for keeping me alive.” She hoped.
“When we were looking for a suitable match for Evander, we ruled you out.”
His words felt like a slap to her face. Evander had said something about her being considered too wild. After being here and seeing how women were treated equal to men, she didn’t know how they could have seen her as such a liability. Granted, if women had been subservient, then she could understand. A small part of her felt regret. She would have liked to live here.
“I knew my son would grow attached to someone like you,” Kai revealed.
Shock jolted through Sabine. “What do you meansomeone like me?” Maybe it was because she didn’t know how to fight or protect herself properly, and the king didn’t want his son attached to such a liability.
“Love makes people do foolish things. If Evander had married you, he’d lose his ability to think logically and do what needed to be done to strengthen this family.”
Sabine had always thought the exact opposite. Love made people strong, not weak. She chewed on her bottom lip, trying to decide how to respond. She wanted to argue with him that love was not a hindrance and that it should be celebrated. However, she honestly didn’t know. She’d only ever loved her family and had never formed an attachment to a man. All of her dalliances had been just that—simple fun for the sake of entertainment. Nothing serious. She decided not to argue with him. “Then it’s a good thing I didn’t marry your son.”
“Yes,” he replied. “Though I’m not sure I prefer Lottie.”
“And why is that?”
