Page 43 of Frozen Hearts and Death Magic

“But why do you think it’s the fae? It’s just… so random, to attack a few small villages here and there.”

He looked around, then whispered in her ear. “My father believes they’re testing a magical weapon.”

“I see.” And then she saw something else.

Fel finally glanced at Leah—but his face looked like stone. He then turned to the Karsal princess and made a knife float. The girl gawked at him, looking absolutely ridiculous. Had Leah stared at him like that?

Venard seemed to notice where she was looking and chuckled. “Silly magic. The poor Umbraars have no clue how to use their ironbringing.”

Leah would be curious to know how the Ironholds used their magic, if they thought Fel’s was silly. But she said something else. “The twins are your cousins. You surely could receive them in your kingdom and teach them.” Not that she cared, but it was something that had crossed her mind before.

“Hmm.” He snorted. “As if we hadn’t offered. My grandmother even wanted to raise the kids, but the deathbringer took them away.”

“They are his children.”

“My grandmother says he groomed and kidnapped my aunt, then poisoned her.”

That wasn’t true. “My father was there when the twins were born. Your aunt said he didn’t kill her.”

“Dead people can also make mistakes. Still, my family honored her post-death wishes out of respect for your father.”

“I see.” Her heart was falling into pieces, she was annoyed to be talking about the Umbraars, and yet, here she had a pleasant-looking prince sitting by her. One who had actually proposed. She decided to ask a more direct question. “If I marry you, what’s it going to be like?”

“Eternal happiness.” He laughed. “No. Ups and downs, right? But we’ll work through them. I promise I’ll do my best to honor you and your kingdom, and to make sure our alliance is not only about politics, but based on trust and friendship.”

“No love?”

“Mutual respect, trust, and friendship is like a tree. Love is the fruit. We plant the tree and make sure it’s healthy, and the fruit will come and keep coming.”

“I like that thought.” That was what her mother had told her, and it made some sense.

Could she come to love Venard? He was pleasant and kind, and good-looking too, if she were to compare him to most young men, not the stupid prodigy who’d fooled her. And looks didn’t even matter. Perhaps a yes wouldn’t be that terrible. She imagined a quiet tranquility, where they played board games and discussed matters of the kingdom. It wasn’t bad. At all. And yet she felt as if a chain was tying her heart.

---