ETAN

Stunned, Etan just stared at the Zenithran Queen for a moment. She stood proud and tall, just inside the door, her chin high. She wore a deep-red dress with a wide neckline, that clung to her arms, breasts, and waist before flaring over her hips to the floor. She was a stunning woman, though she held nothing of Ayleth's sweetness and joy. Hers was a cold beauty—and while her eyes shone with deep intelligence, there again he saw a disparity with her daughter.

Where Ayleth's intelligent eyes brimmed with warmth and curiosity, her mother's were calculating, measuring. This was not a woman to be trifled with—nor a woman to trust.

Despite the inches he had on her, she managed to set herself so that she appeared to looked down her nose at him. For a moment he felt like a child who had been caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

"Where's Ayleth?" he blurted.

"Likely looking for me," the Queen said with a small smile, her sweet, musical voice at odds with the cunning in her eyes. "I understand she wishes me to meet you. But I wanted to speak to you alone first. To know your thoughts and intentions without her interruptions, to understand exactly what kind of man you are—and how you truly regard my daughter."

Every hair on Etan's body stood up. She knew. She fucking knew.

Had she only just found out? Or had she been playing them this entire time? Borsche's words before they left for Zenithra echoed in his head.

Zenithra is a snake den that fools you into believing the cavern you stare into is the only pocket of poison. But they are a maze of death and destruction just waiting for you to take a sideways step and fall through into their thinly veiled pit.

The Queen smiled, both cold and elegant—and eyes as sharp as a cat's, though also lined with worry that gave Etan a small hope she might, just might, listen to him.

"You see," she continued, "my daughter is a beautiful soul—just beautiful in general, as it happens—but despite her education and even the traumatic events of her life, she is still… optimistic. She often trusts where she should not. You will not find me as easily swayed as she," she finished through a tight smile.

Etan stared a moment longer, but knew he couldn't expect any woman, let alone a Queen, to converse about their child while at sword point.

Without taking his eyes off of her, he returned the sword to its sheath, then bowed to her, keeping his eyes down as was the Zenithran away in peace, not the custom of his own country. "I would be pleased to tell you anything you wish to know, Highness," he said quietly.

"Very good," she said dryly. "Perhaps we might sit on the couches and… be comfortable."

Etan opened an arm for her to go first, but she tipped her head and gave a sharp smile. "I'm certain, like me, you prefer not to put an enemy at your back. Let us move to the seats together, shall we?"

"I hope the day will soon be here when you will no longer regard me as an enemy, Highness, but certainly." He turned and they walked together to the couches, taking seats across from each other. Etan waited for her to sit, before sitting himself.

She arched a single eyebrow again. "Well, you certainly cut a good figure for a man. I can see why my daughter is infatuated with you."

"My relationships with Ayleth runs far deeper than infatuation," he said firmly.

"The relationship you carried on in secret for the past two weeks with the help of her Knight Defender, and your own spy? That relationship, Etan? Forgive me—may I call you Etan?"

"Yes, of course," he said through his teeth. "And yes, that is the relationship to which I refer. And I assure you, regardless of our… tensions, Ayleth holds my heart as firmly as the Father of Lights. She is not an infatuation—or a political pawn. She is my heart and soul, and will remain that for my lifetime."

"Oh, what a lovely declaration. You are very good with words, aren't you?"

Etan tipped his head. "That depends on what you mean by it."

"I meant nothing bad. Only that you are very articulate."

"In that case, thank you."

They stared at each other for another moment like cats across a stable yard, determining whether they would fight or move on. The hair on Etan's neck still stood tall. But he knew this woman had reason to be concerned about his intentions, and if he was to make her an advocate to help them with the King, he needed to use his pretty words and demonstrate his commitment. But before he could find the right way to start, she clasped her hands in her lap and her razor-edged smile disappeared. Her jaw went tight, but she looked him not with superiority, but with deep fear.

"So, tell me, Etan. Do you love my daughter, truly?" Her throat bobbed.

He was disarmed. "I not only love her," he smiled, an image of Ayleth's grin flashing in his mind, "I have pledged my life to her. I will never seek another. I have given my word to Ayleth herself, and meant every word."

"A bold, but intelligent move," she said. "But you will not deceive me. My daughter is… on your skin. Her virtue has been taken. Tell me how this fits within your vow? Do you not wish to present her to the world pure?"

"I did not take her until we were wed," he said firmly.

She blinked again, but did not move. Did not speak. Yet Etan sensed within her a tidal wave of rage that made his skin prickle.

She didn't know? How could she be here and not know?

Then she laughed, and it was the most chilling sound Etan had ever heard. He watched her as she chuckled and giggled, one elegant hand to her mouth, then shook her head and pressed her lips together to contain herself. "Very clever, Etan. Very, very clever."

*****

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE! Thank you for being willing to come on this very up-and-down ride with me. And thank you for purchasing privilege, and your summoning pens. I am so humbled by your kind words and dedication to these characters.

In September I am going to try and make sure you have at least a couple updates a week. If I gain more time, I will release more chapters. But we'll have to see how it goes. Regardless, I wanted to throw an extra chapter to you today to say thank you for still being here! I hope you enjoy!