Eloisa’s mouth thinned. “If my father had a husband in mind for Sophie, then he didn’t choose to share that choice with me. And he is no longer in a position to make that decision. I am.” The last two words cracked into the silence.
A reminder that she was no longer a princess but a queen-to-be. Eloisa and her father had not always seen eye to eye, but he had raised her as his heir. He had not been a teacher who would accept less than excellence in his pupils. Eloisa had been prepared to wield Anglion’s power. It seemed she intended to do so, no matter what the wishes of the temple might be.
“You are forgetting that the two of them are most likely bound. Which means she cannot be bound to another. Even if we try to pass her power off as a lesser one, it would be difficult to explain to her potential husband why his marriage rites can’t be completed. And if Sophie ever slipped up and revealed the extent of her power, then we would have a problem. So we need a solution that will prevent any scandal. The court cannot afford any further disruption right now. We need a husband for Sophie who doesn’t need marriage rites and whose interests are best served if the truth of the situation stays a secret. If Cameron marries her, then the problem is solved. People will assume that Sophie is not strong in magic because we are marrying her to a lesser lord. He will keep quiet because if the court finds out he deflowered a royal witch, he could lose everything.”
“That doesn’t solve the problem of her being unbound to the goddess,” the Domina said.
“No,” Eloisa agreed. “But you will school her to manage her power so she doesn’t get into any more trouble and so that we know what power she has should we need to call on her. As Cameron has said, Sophie is loyal to me. And has given us no reason to think otherwise.”
Cameron looked at Sophie again. Her skin was very pale, her chest rising and falling rapidly, as though she were running rather than standing still. He wondered if the same desire to try to awaken from a dream that was not a dream that filled him filled her.
But she had not voiced a rejection of Eloisa’s proposed solution. So perhaps she was as loyal as Eloisa thought and would do precisely as she was bidden.
Still, he would rather know that she was not unwilling. He had always known that perhaps he would marry for duty. But that did not mean he wanted a bride who hated the very thought of marrying him. He turned to her, once again schooling himself against the urge to touch her—to take her hand so that she might know she had an ally in this disaster. “Lady Sophia? Do you have something to say about this?”
The Domina bristled. “I think she forfeited her right to complain about her wedding when she—”
“I was speaking to my wife-to-be. I would know her mind on this matter,” Cameron said shortly. Normally he wouldn’t cut the Domina off, but there was nothing normal about this situation, and it was already clear that he was in disgrace. It didn’t seem like determining whether Sophie hated him or not was likely to worsen the situation.
Sophie’s head turned slowly toward him. Her eyes were very dark and very wide. “I have a question. No, two questions.”
He nodded. “That seems fair.”
Sophie turned back to Eloisa. He saw her hands gripping her skirts so tightly her knuckles were stark white in the golden skin. “Your Highness,” she said, voice quavering ever so slightly. “I wish to know if my parents are alive.”
Goddess wept, had no one told her that yet? He almost reached for her hand but stopped himself.
“They were coming here for my birthday celebration,” Sophie continued. “They were supposed to arrive the day of the attack.”
Eloisa was frowning again. “I remember. They were coming by sea, were they not?”
“Yes, my lady. On the Salt Blessed.”
“I am told the port was closed as soon the attack occurred,” Eloisa said. “It has not been reopened. At least, I have given no such orders. Lieutenant, were you brought up to speed on the current situation when you returned to the barracks?”
“Yes, Your Highness. The port remains closed. There is a defensive blockade. Some ships that were making for Kingswell put to anchor beyond the heads; others would have gone to Skydown or Aislight Rock, I suppose.” Those were the nearest ports to Kingswell.
Eloisa nodded. “Very well. We will get the Illusioners to send messages to the port masters and locate your family, Sophie.”
“Thank you, my lady.” She bobbed a curtsy.
“You said you had two questions,” Cameron said gently.
Sophie looked at him, seemingly startled. Then she nodded. “My second question is easier. When are we to be wed?”
CHAPTER NINE
It seemed, however, that the question of exactly when her wedding was to take place was not so simple. When Cameron suggested three days hence, the Domina, somewhat to Sophie’s surprise, put her foot down.
“It cannot be too hasty,” she said. “That will draw attention.”
“Not to mention,” Eloisa interjected, “there is the small matter of my father’s funeral and a coronation to be held first. After all, the law requires a royal proclamation for a royal witch to marry. There cannot be a royal proclamation with no monarch.”
That statement had diverted the Domina’s attention from any thought of weddings. She and Eloisa proceeded to argue about when the queen-to-be would be well enough for such things.
Under tradition, King Stefan should be buried within a week, his body safely stored in salt until he could be laid to rest in the royal vault. The Domina was in favor of giving Eloisa more time to recover before the funeral took place. Eloisa was not.