Page 30 of Esperance

“Oh, I’m not.” It was only then that she realized all the other women had royal blood; even Marriset, who was far removed, had a link to the throne of Palar. “My uncle is the chief advisor to King Torin,” Amryn explained. “That’s why I was chosen.”

“Were you raised in the palace?” Marriset asked.

“Yes.” It was mostly the truth.

Jayveh took her turn. “I’m Jayveh Umbar of Xerra, and I’m married to Prince Argent Vayne.” Her smile was unrestrained, and her joy was genuine.

“Is it true you knew the prince when you were children?” Sadia asked.

“Yes,” Jayveh said. “When I was young, I spent many summers at the empirical palace, visiting with my family. Argent and I became friends even though he was a few years older than me.”

“Isn’t that lovely?” Sadia smiled. “I think you’re the only ones who knew each other before.”

Marriset leaned forward. “Your uncle is the king of Xerra, correct?”

“Yes.” Jayveh’s tone betrayed nothing, but Amryn sensed a ripple of anger at the mention of her uncle.

“But he wasn’t always the king, was he? Your father used to rule Xerra, before the emperor took away his crown.” Marriset glanced at the others, who had all gone silent. “I can’t be the only one who knows the scandal. Rumors even reached Palar!”

Marriset’s words teased free an old memory. Many years ago, Amryn had overheard Rix and Torin talking one night. It was a usual complaint; that the emperor only gave kings the illusion of power within their kingdoms. The king of Xerra, who had been viewed as a loyal friend to the emperor for years, had suddenly lost his throne. It had been given to his younger brother with no explanation to the other nations within the Craethen Empire. The old king hadn’t even been arrested, or banished—he’d just lost his crown.

“It’s a warning for the rest of us,” Torin had concluded grimly. “It’s the emperor’s way of telling us that he doesn’t even need a reason to set us aside. We are forever subject to his whims.”

In the tea room, curiosity rippled out from everyone, except Jayveh. The princess felt a mixture of dread, old pain, and shame. “It’s true that my father was once the king of Xerra,” she said. “But the emperor had his reasons for what he did.”

Her tone was final, but Marriset chose to ignore that. “It’s strange to me that the emperor chose to match you with Argent.” While her tone was conversational, her jealousy of the princess was painfully sharp. “After all, you were really no more than a disavowed princess, relegated to essentially nothing in her uncle’s court.”

The princess’s expression tightened.

“What seems strange to me,” Tam said tersely, before Jayveh could, “is that a noblewoman such as yourself has no social graces.”

Marriset’s eyes flew wide. “Excuse me?”

“Jayveh is the empirical princess of Craethen,” Tam said firmly. “Perhaps you should keep that in mind when you address her.”

Cora’s eyes were wide, and Amryn was just as surprised. Tam had seemed too reserved to speak out like that.

Amryn didn’t miss Marriset’s spike of resentment; it even sparked in her eyes.

Sadia cleared her throat. “Well. I think this pleasant tea is exactly what the high cleric had in mind when he had us all shut in here.”

Cora snorted, and Tam grunted.

Jayveh set aside her tea. “I know this isn’t easy for any of us. And I know I’m the lucky one who got to marry a man I know and love, but . . . we all left family behind. We’re all facing unknowns. We’re sitting with people from other kingdoms—kingdoms that may have wronged our own in the past. But we can’t be ruled by our history. No matter our differences, we’re all stuck in Esperance. We can choose if we’re going to isolate ourselves, or if we’re going to make peace with each other and become friends.”

The room was silent.

It was Cora that finally shifted in her chair, and her voice was soft. “I want to call all of you my friends, rather than my enemies.”

Jayveh nodded once. “I agree. So, since I think we’ve about exhausted the topic of me . . . What are some of your favorite pastimes?”

As the conversation slowly picked up, Amryn had to wonder if the men were having an easier time making peace.

If not, at least they’d been given swords instead of teacups.

Chapter 10

Carver