Theodoar seemed to realize there was nothing he could possibly say to quell her rage.
“I have tolerated you and your shameful, idle peers in my castle in the hopes that your parents might be able to better tend to their lands without you getting underfoot, but now I see that I have merely been rewarding them for their reprehensible parenting,” continued Queen Saski. “You will go to your rooms immediately and begin your preparations for the journey home. A carriage will be readied for you by tonight. If I see your face again before my dying day, I will have you thrown into the dungeons for treason. Am I understood?”
Theodoar bowed his head. “Yes, Your Majesty.” He cast one last sorrowful look at Adale and then began the walk back to the castle.
“Good.” Saski turned her attention to Esofi. “Princess.”
“My sincerest apologies, Your Majesty,” said Esofi, dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief embroidered in roses. “If you will grant me but a moment to compose myself.” One of her ladies began pulling brushes and face powder from her satchel and set to work repairing Esofi’s makeup.
“The rest of you, find your entertainment elsewhere!” ordered Queen Saski, waving a dismissive arm at the spectators that remained. “Or I will send you home to your parents as well!”
The crowd dispersed in record time, leaving only Adale, Lethea, Esofi, and her ladies standing on the grass.
“Now then,” said Queen Saski. “I should like to understand precisely what happened here, if you do not mind.”
“I mean no disrespect, but there is little to explain, Your Majesty,” said Esofi, who looked considerably better than she had a moment ago, though not nearly as picturesque as she’d been when Adale had first encountered her at breakfast. “It was a foolish endeavor, and of no consequence.”
Queen Saski seemed to hesitate. “Of no consequence?” Was that hope in her voice? Adale was not entirely certain.
“Of course,” said Esofi. “I allowed myself to be drawn into a childish argument, nothing more. I hope you can forgive my misconduct and for drawing you away from your petitioners.”
“Of course.” Queen Saski spoke very slowly. Adale marveled that her mother appeared to have lost her footing, metaphorically speaking. If only Adale had paid more attention to her tutors as they’d explained the political situation between Ieflaria and Rhodia. Maybe then she’d have some idea of what was going on.
Esofi nodded in satisfaction. “Good. Then let us put the incident out of our minds. There is still so much to accomplish, after all. But I fear I am no longer presentable.” Esofi patted her ruined curls. “If you will excuse me? I should not like to appear at my own betrothal looking as I do.”
Queen Saski granted her a nod, and Esofi immediately departed, leaving Adale there alone with only Lethea for protection. Once the princess was gone, the last thin traces of pleasantness vanished from Queen Saski’s face.
“Are you simple?” her mother hissed at her. “What were you thinking? I should cast you out with Theodoar! You could have destroyed the marriage negotiations! I realize you care nothing for that, but I’d think the lives of your friends would at least hold some value to you!”
“I had no idea that this was Theodoar’s plan!” Adale protested weakly. “And nobody knew that the princess had magic!”
Queen Saski pressed a hand to her forehead and spoke in a tone of disbelief. “You didn’t know she had—? Why do you think she is here, you fool?”
“To marry someone!” cried Adale. She realized she was still clutching Esofi’s parasol, the soft lace pressing patterns into her palms. “To marry me!”
“Have you retained a single word your tutors have said to you?” demanded Queen Saski, continuing as though Adale had not spoken. “The royal family of Rhodia boasts the most gifted mages on the continent of Thiyra! You are lucky she has far greater self-restraint than you do or Theodoar might be dead! Our country will be utterly consumed without her aid, and you have insulted her so gravely that I would not half blame her for returning home immediately! What do you have to say for yourself, Adale?”
Adale looked away from her mother and managed to catch one last glimpse of Esofi’s retreating back before she vanished inside the castle walls.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
Chapter Three
ESOFI
Once she had made it back to the safety of her rooms, Esofi washed off her makeup until her face was bright and pink. Then she removed her hairpins, allowing her curls to fall in a messy cloud. Finally, she removed her dress, loosened the lacing on her corset, and climbed into bed.
The use of her magic should not have been enough to drain her, but she felt exhausted regardless. It had been this way ever since they had come into Ieflaria—the magic seemed reluctant to come to her now, and when it arrived, it was weak and awkward and slow to respond to her commands. Lexandrie had noticed it as well, and so had Henris and the battlemages. At the time, Esofi had hoped it was merely a side effect of being on the road for so many months, but now she knew better. Ieflaria had offended Talcia so greatly that it was not simply devoid of her magic; it repelled it.
And beneath her physical exhaustion was a deep, persistent ache in her heart.
Stupid, she admonished herself. Did you think she cared anything for you? This is a political arrangement. Nothing more.
Still, she had hoped…
Her thoughts went back to Albion. Theirs would have been a marriage of convenience too, but Esofi had always believed that they would quickly come to regard each other with a genuine and maybe even passionate love.
Maybe. But then, maybe not. Perhaps I was lying to myself about that, too.
Esofi pressed her face into her pillow. Was she really so repugnant that Adale would arrange a duel in order to delay their wedding? Even if that nobleman had managed to defeat her, surely they hadn’t been foolish enough to believe that Their Majesties would simply accept it and throw away almost a decade and a half of careful planning?
Adale must have been truly desperate to even try.
Tears sprung to Esofi’s eyes, which only made her angrier with herself, which in turn led to more tears. Adale hadn’t even given her a chance! They’d spoken only twice, and yet the crown princess had already decided that she would rather spend her life as an untitled vagrant than marry Esofi!
“I’m not as bad as that,” whispered Esofi to herself. “Someone would have told me if I was.” Probably. Her sisters, certainly. Or her mother. They had never hesitated to point out her flaws. Surely, someone would have mentioned it by now if she was unbearable, even if it was only in passing.
Her pillow was wet, and so Esofi flipped it over, savoring the coolness on her cheek. She began to hum a common Rhodian hymn to Talcia, lazy fingertips tracing the designs woven into her blankets.
“I do not need her love,” Esofi reminded herself. “I already have so much.” And that was true. She had her own waiting ladies, who had yet to fail her in even the smallest task. She had the promise from Their Majesties that had been added to the marriage contract just yesterday. And, most importantly, she had the blessing of her goddess.
Esofi wondered if Adale had reviewed the contract and seen the addition yet but then reminded herself that she did not care. To be honest, Adale probably did not care much either. Esofi was still not completely convinced that Adale would even be at the signing that afternoon. Even though Theodoar had lost the duel, there was still a chance that Adale would try to make her escape before her freedom was signed away forever.