Page 72 of Shadow Mark

“Precisely,” Raelle said. “I cleared my schedule to speak with you at once and let my and the council’s position be known. We would never support such a match.”

“I’m afraid you’ve wasted your time, as you’ve clearly said you know it’s impossible. Baris would never abandon his duty.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Do not speak so freely of the king, like you’re?—”

“Friendly?” Lenore desperately wanted to inform this woman that Baris asked her not to use his title—that was the kind of terms they were on. She’d love to see that smug look melt away into shock and indignation. It’d be so sweet, but she held her tongue. What she and Baris did and said in their own time was no one’s business, let alone this nosy busybody.

“Like you have an understanding,” Raelle said. “Do you have an understanding with His Majesty?”

“Lady Frostwing, please do not make me remind you that we both agreed it was an impossibility.”

Oh, that made her mad, which delighted Lenore, who was feeling a touch miffed herself. Raelle stamped her cane against the floor, the noise echoing on the stone walls.

“Infuriating female. The king’s mother, Queen Annan, was my dearest friend. I’ve dedicated myself to serving him for decades. I deserve to know the nature of his intentions with you. I demand to know!”

“I would not presume to answer for His Majesty.”

Color rose in her cheeks, turning her face a bright violet. “He has an understanding with my youngest granddaughter, Lady Nia Frostwing. She’s infinitely more suitable than a grasping upstart.”

Lenore ignored the insult. It was no worse than what literally every talking head in the media was saying. “It is easy to attack my character. I offer nothing of value as a queen. I bring no wealth, no connections, or political alliance. As you rightly pointed out, the king would be foolish to make such a match.”

It was tempting to lash out and criticize Lady Nia, but none of this was her fault. Lenore had seen this situation before—women fighting each other rather than the man that put them in a terrible situation. Somehow a philandering dick always managed to escape the blame.

The jealousy Lenore felt when she saw Baris with Nia at the theater stirred from its nap. She had doubts. Of course she had doubts. Raelle’s list of Lenore’s many flaws only reinforced those doubts. The situation with Baris was new, and while they hadn’t made each other promises, Lenore refused to believe Baris would toy with her like that.

“If Baris does indeed have an understanding with your granddaughter, his behavior is appalling to treat her so badly by cavorting with me. I am not the one to answer for his offenses. You need to take it up with Baris,” Lenore said.

Raelle took a long moment before answering. “It’s not a conventional engagement. Queen Annan and I arranged the match when Nia and Baris were hatchlings. They were always intended for one another, but it was never formalized. Baris required an alliance with the Starshades to make peace. I understood and kept quiet on the arrangement.”

“But no longer,” Lenore said.

“No longer,” Raelle agreed. “Now tell me, are you engaged to him?”

“I am not.”

The older woman’s posture relaxed. “Will you swear to never enter into such an engagement?”

Lenore’s patience was thin, and she was tired of holding her tongue. “Why? Seems like a waste of time,” she said.

“Pardon me?”

“You’ve repeatedly told me it’s impossible. I’m unsuitable. He would never. This secret engagement is apparently so secret that even Baris doesn’t know about it. Why should I waste my breath and promise to never do a thing that you’ve so firmly told me will never happen?”

“Because that is what decorum demands.” Raelle’s cane thumped against the floor again.

“Fuck decorum. I will not be bullied,” Lenore said.

“If you continue your pursuit of the king, you’ll only bring shame to his house.”

And that was the moment Lenore nearly committed an act of treason. Snatching that cane and thumping Raelle with it seemed like a really dumb, really satisfying idea.

“What a curious turn of phrase,” Lenore said, a chill settling over her entire body. “I would bring shame to his house, even though he’s the one in a position of power and can abuse that power. His actions shame himself, but by all means, blame me. Let’s pretend that I am the one at fault—that I can make the king do anything, even go against his better judgment. What a strange power I possess, a nobody who can bend the king to her whims.”

Lenore did not believe a word she uttered. Their relationship had a gigantic power imbalance, and it would have been an issue if Baris weren’t, well, Baris. If he pushed her or abused that power…instead, he respected her wishes every time she said no.

She had no desire to share this insight with Raelle, however. Let the old lady stew.

“You have your influence,” Raelle said.

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