“Yes, well,” Starvos said, studying her a little longer, a slight wrinkle in his brow. He’d probably heard she’d been brought up common and couldn’t quite believe it.
“She is also a great healer, highness,” Calia said. “She has a natural gift. I believe she has a touch of the goddess about her.”
“Yes, you mentioned as much in your letters.” He rested his elbow on the arm of the chair and touched his finger to his lips in thought. “You should introduce her to the royal healers. Show her some of our plants. She might be surprised to discover we kept some everlass alive from when Nyfain was here last. I’m sure they’d like a tutorial from a master worker.”
Calia’s eyes widened a little and her smile stretched. “I will, highness. I’m sure they would have a lot to talk about.”
“Yes, well,” he said again, a phrase I remembered him using often when I was here. “Hmm,” he said, his gaze lingering on Finley again.
Annoyance rolled through the bond, but it did not show on her face or in her bearing.
“I’m sure you are tired,” he said to me, finally prying his gaze from my mate. “There are rooms prepared, of course. I’m sure your people are settling you in as we speak. Don’t hesitate to let someone know should you need anything. Not much has changed since you were here last. Other than your appearance, of course. I’d like to hear more about that, too. There is a very dark underbelly in a kingdom we both know. I will need more information so that I don’t fall into its snare.”
“I know far more about that kingdom than anyone else,” I replied. “Even its allies. I’ll tell you more when we have some privacy.”
“Of course. While Finley visits the healers, you should come for a boat ride with me. We have revamped the lakes. I remember those were always a favorite of yours.”
They weren’t, but I nodded anyway. “Fantastic. I look forward to it.”
His gaze flicked to Finley, to my hand resting on her stomach, before he met my eyes again.
“I know something of dragons, so with respect to your mate, I will be vague,” he said. “I am sad that your journey took you away from here. Selfishly, I had hoped you would stay.”
Finley bristled, and her power ballooned. She kept herself in check, though.
“Still, I think it was for the best,” he continued. “Despite what I have lost, I am now hopeful for what I might gain. Calia is impressed with your operations. With the speed at which you are building your kingdom. She has been all over the world, I’m sure you’ve heard. Learning things, occasionally getting caught and needing to escape.”
Spying was what he was really saying. “I’m sure you’ve heard” actually meant “you’ve surely figured out.”
I hadn’t known Calia when I was here, but I wasn’t green like Finley was. It hadn’t taken me long to figure out her situation. She was a little too diligent in her offers to help. A little too smooth in her questions. A little too analytical. I wasn’t quite sure how her sister fit in, but it hadn’t taken me long to figure out why they were hanging around. Given everything was going well and I could sense her growing regard for us, her task actually helped my kingdom. It was why I’d let it continue, something I was sure she knew.
Emotions swirled through the bond. Confusion and then hurt and then anger. Finley had probably thought Calia was staying out of the goodness of her heart. And while she probably wasn’t far off—Calia could’ve left before we did—it would likely tarnish her feelings toward the other woman. It would weaken any budding friendship.
This was exactly why I hadn’t told her. Why my mother hadn’t. She needed this lesson. She needed to realize that we all had a duty, and those who played with crowns dealt in secrets and half-smiles. We could have friends, but we always had to be conscious of our duty. Finley was a queen now, and our world was never black and white. It was never as glamorous as this kingdom looked.
“She is an excellent judge of a kingdom’s value,” Starvos said. “I expect great things.”
“Thank you, that means a lot,” I replied, moving my hand from Finley’s stomach down her arm until I found her hand and entwined our fingers. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t making some decisions with the memory of this kingdom in mind.”
Now his smile did reach his eyes. He breathed in a little, his chest rising.
“I wondered, based on some of the things I’d heard. It’s good to know we have the esteem of the golden dragon king.” He chuckled. “Yes, well. You must be tired. I’ll have my people show you to your rooms. Hopefully I’ll see you and your beautiful queen at dinner tomorrow. And a…” He put up his finger, searching his memory for something. “And um…Haddle, isn’t it?”