Page 33 of The Royal Throne
His hand on hers tightened. “She’s not here tonight.” His other hand trailed up her back, over the diamond strands. “I am trying.”
“You’re trying to do what?” she asked.
“Be a good husband.”
She laughed. “I didn’t realize you knew what the word meant.”
“So you are jealous of Heather,” he purred.
“No, I’m not.”
“Then what’s the problem? Why the attitude?”
She sucked in a breath. “Do you honestly not know?”
He shook his head.
“Your sister killed my sister. She tried to kill me.”
“I’ve taken care of the situation. You have nothing to worry about.” His voice sounded irritated, as if talking to a petulant child.
“My sister deserves justice,” Sabine whispered, not wanting her hatred and anger to seep through. Not when she was trying to win over those present.
“And my sister deserves a second chance.”
Sabine was about to argue when the song ended and another one began. She took an abrupt step back from Rainer, forcing him to release her.
The crowd closed in on Sabine. Several men she recognized from the various parties she’d attended asked for her hand.
Smiling sweetly, she accepted Duke Vadil’s arm, and they began dancing. She spotted Rainer on the far side of the room, leaning against the wall, his arms folded, watching her. As she danced, she made sure to ask personable questions about the duke, his family, his land, and if he had any concerns she should be aware of. She assured him she was on his side. At the end of the song, he thanked her for her time.
Commander Felix was nearby, so Sabine grabbed him for the next dance. After him, she danced with several other high ranking military officers.
During a dance with a lieutenant, he told her not to worry, that they would find the person responsible for the murders. At first, she thought he meant her sister and her own attempted assassination. However, he mentioned that the murders were confined to military camps, so she knew he wasn’t referring to her. Thinking back to one of the dinner parties, she recalled someone mentioning that people were turning up dead. She wondered if this was the same thing or something else entirely.
When she danced with Cutler, he didn’t speak much.
After him, Anton took a turn. “How are you holding up?” he asked. “There are quite a few people here who seem to be insistent on dancing with you.”
“I’m having a splendid time,” she crooned. What she really wanted to discuss with him were these murders. However, she didn’t want to tip her hand that she was receiving so much information voluntarily. Anton was a smart man and would probably figure out what she was doing pretty easily.
“I suppose you should know that the League has approved Prince Evander’s union with Princess Lottie.”
Sabine stiffened. “Rainer is still going to marry her off?” Lottie should be in jail, not shipped off to another kingdom.
“It solves his problem.”
“She can still do damage from Avoni.” Lottie needed to pay for having Alina killed. It wasn’t fair she got to marry Evander. Her heart felt as if it were being squeezed.
Anton leaned closer. “Is that why you’re really upset?” he whispered in her ear.
“What do you mean?” He couldn’t possibly know that she had feelings for Evander.
“Rainer is sending her away where she can’t hurt you. What more do you want?”
“We have laws. Lottie shouldn’t be above them. It isn’t fair.”
He nodded.
