“They don’t consider me their king,” I replied. “If you want a good laugh, watch them pretend to respect me when I go outside. If I even get that much honor.”
I made a move in that direction, but Harlyn came rushing down the stairs behind me, her eyes wild as if in a panic. “Simon! Don’t go out there yet!”
“Why not?”
She paused to catch her breath, and when she seemed a little more settled, Harlyn said, “I told you that we had to talk. I’ve put it off for as long as I can, I suppose. Can we talk now?” She briefly eyed Gabe, who made a quick excuse that he had to finish dressing for patrols that evening.
Harlyn took my hand and pulled me into a quiet alcove of the entryway. She lowered her eyes and seemed to be searching for a way to begin our conversation.
I waited for her to begin, and when she didn’t, I prompted, “Is this about the cavalry?”
“Yes.”
I was becoming increasingly curious. Harlyn’s personality was so bold, I’d rarely seen her reluctant to speak.
“There were problems in persuading them to come, I assume. Because of me?” I wouldn’t forget that, only days ago, we had overheard them plotting my death.
Still refusing to look at me, she said, “Reese has taken full command of the cavalry.”
I rolled my eyes. “Reese? Wonderful.” Of all those we had overheard, he had been the most opposed to me.
Harlyn’s smile was grim. “They’re all against you, Simon. Commander Reese was just the loudest. When I first asked him to bring the cavalry here, he refused. And yes, it was because of you. He said that to fight for you was to fight under the banner of the Infidante. They know your feelings for Kestra. But I needed a way to persuade them that there was no longer any connection between you and her. I had to tell them something compelling enough to make them come.” Now she glanced up. “I know you won’t like it.”
“You told them we were married.”
She winced, barely, but enough that I took notice. “Yes, but only after I’d tried everything else to change Reese’s mind. They’ll follow me into battle, Simon. They know me; they know my father. They’ll follow you if they believe you follow me, and not her.” She shifted her weight before adding, “Besides, many people had expected it would already be true of us, or that it soon will be.”
I nodded as I took that in. It was absurd that I continued to fight the inevitable, and hadn’t I already suggested to Harlyn that the Scarlet Throne would be ours one day? At some point, I would have to marry Harlyn, and in time, we would probably be very happy. Or I could pretend as much anyway.
I took her hands. “You got them here, which is better than I could have done. Now that they’re here, we have to deal with their reasons for coming.”
“Then we’ll tell them the truth.”
She was trying to smile but doing a poor job of it. And though she was taking responsibility for the lie, I also knew she’d never have had to lie if I’d already married her, as I should have done.
Gripping her hands tighter, I said, “What if we make what they already believe become the truth?”
Harlyn tilted her head. “Are you serious?” I nodded, but she still seemed uncertain. “Do you want to marry me, or do you feel that you must?”
I sighed and tried not to think of Kestra, or tried not to let my thoughts of her ruin this moment. “Part of accepting the realities of who Kestra has become is accepting that I’ve missed what is right in front of me. It will take me time to get to where I should have been all along, but I will get there, Harlyn.”
Harlyn’s face twisted, but at least she was still smiling. “That is literally the worst proposal of marriage anyone has ever heard. But we’re at war, you’re obviously exhausted, and I did recently announce our marriage as a last resort to save your life, so I suppose you’re forgiven. I accept your offer.”
I leaned forward and kissed her. It wasn’t the kiss she should have received considering that we had just agreed to marry, but it was a start for us.
When we parted, I said, “I’ve got to tell the cavalry the truth about us. I can’t ask for their trust and betray it in the same breath. Will you come with me to speak to them?”
“I have to go on patrol with Gabe right now.”
“I’ll go in your place. You should be here to prepare the cavalry for the coming battle.”
“Their king must prepare them.” Harlyn placed a hand on my cheek. “They’re already on my side. Now let’s get them on yours.”
I took her hand, and together, we walked to the front doors. A light snow was falling, made worse by a cold, wet wind. We pulled on our cloaks and wrapped them around us, then went outside to welcome the cavalry—my cavalry, I supposed—as they approached. Commander Reese led about a hundred riders forward, and on his signal, they stopped in four straight rows behind him. All were dressed in the brown and blue colors of the Halderians, and two riders on either side of Reese carried brown flags, each with a blue stripe across it.
Reese dismounted and gave me a curt nod of his head. He had been with Harlyn’s father when we had fought at King’s Lake two months ago, though we had not worked together directly. He was a large and sturdy man, the kind of warrior I needed on my side, and not only because he would likely defeat me in any sort of challenge. If I could persuade him to follow me, the other men here would accept me too.
Which made it even more problematic when he only nodded in my direction but then addressed Harlyn. “My lady, we have ridden as fast as our horses would allow. My riders are exhausted and cold, and their horses need care.”