Page 71 of Esperance

Amryn reeled from Jayveh’s story. The details were horrific enough, but the emotions Jayveh felt—even after all these years—were still heavy.

“I didn’t see Argent again after that,” Jayveh said, her voice soft. “Not until about two months before coming here.”

The admission surprised Amryn. “Why did the emperor match you with Argent?” How could he trust Jayveh after her brothers had tried to kill the prince? After he’d taken her father’s crown and imprisoned her surviving brother?

“He didn’t,” Jayveh said simply. “Argentchose me, and the emperor agreed to the match.” She glanced at Amryn. “We weren’t supposed to share that, since the emperor arranged all the other marriages from the people each kingdom chose.”

“I won’t tell anyone,” Amryn said.

Jayveh nodded once, then continued her story. “I hadn’t heard from Argent in over ten years, but . . . our paths crossed before coming to Esperance, and we reconnected.” Heat, attraction, desire, love—it all wound together, and Jayveh cracked a smile. “I think I always loved him, even when I was only six years old.”

Amryn shook her head. “It’s amazing that you could both overcome so much.”

“Trust is a choice. And so is love.” Jayveh eyed her. “Carver has changed over the years, far more than Argent has. But even as a child, he was fiercely loyal, and I know he’s a good man. Maybe a little lost right now, but you’re safe with him. He’s not a murderer.”

Amryn was grateful for Jayveh’s attempts to comfort her. The princess had been nothing but kind to her, and to the others here in Esperance—well, perhaps she’d been a little curt with Marriset, but that woman would try the patience of a saint.

But even though Jayveh had played the part of a friend, she was married to Argent, the future emperor of Craethen. More than that, she was undeniably in love with him. The fact that she didn’t despise the emperor after everything he’d done to her family made it clear that Jayveh was loyal to the empire. That made her an enemy, no matter how much Amryn wished that wasn’t the case.

“I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t share this story,” Jayveh said, breaking into Amryn’s thoughts. “My parents died years ago, but I have two younger brothers to protect. They don’t know the full story, and I don’t want them to have to carry it. At least not yet.”

“I won’t say anything,” Amryn said, though she wasn’t sure if it was a promise she could actually keep.

Jayveh smiled. “Thank you, Amryn. It’s been a long time since I had a friend.”

“I find that hard to believe.” She was far too friendly to be as reclusive as Amryn.

A shadow crossed her face. “I suppose growing up with your uncle must have been very different from growing up with mine.” Her lips pressed into a thin line, and Amryn felt her spike of resentment. “My uncle is a cruel man. When my parents died and he had dominion over me and my brothers . . . well, my life changed drastically.”

She really didn’t have to say anything else. There was a particular pain that survivors of abuse felt. It was edged with shame, and the agony ran deep. “I’m so sorry, Jayveh.”

“It’s in the past,” the princess said, raising her face to the sun. “He no longer has any power over me.”

Amryn tugged her needle and thread through the soft material of the small blanket on her lap.

It had been a week since the high cleric had accused Carver of murder, and speculation was buzzing in Esperance. And Carver’s name wasn’t the only one whispered. Servants, guards, clerics—even the Empire’s Chosen had their suspicions.

“I wonder if it was Ivan,” Sadia whispered. “Is that terrible of me to think?”

“It’s possible,” Marriset said, bent over her own sewing. They were gathered in their shared sitting room, making blankets for Esperance’s charitable efforts. Marriset volunteered with the clerics who ran the project, and she had volunteered all of the ladies to help today.

She’d made a grand show of her charity work, and the emotions twisting from her—not to mention the looks she shot Jayveh—made it clear that her intention was to usurp the princess’s control of the room.

Jayveh hadn’t risen to Marriset’s games. She’d only picked up a half-finished blanket and gotten to work.

Amryn had to smother a smile when she felt Marriset’s bitter disappointment.

Tam glanced up from her work. “Ivan has been rather quiet since his initial outburst.” She darted a look to Amryn. “What do you think? Could it be him?”

“I don’t know,” she said, disliking the weight of all their eyes on her. “What reason would he have had to kill her?”

Marriset shrugged one shoulder. “Perhaps she looked at him the wrong way. Who knows? My father always said Sibetens are little more than cold-blooded brutes.”

Sadia frowned. “Doesn’t Palar have an old feud with Sibet?”

Marriset’s eyebrows lifted. “You mean the fact that they used to raid our island, steal our goods, and abduct women to become their slave-wives?”

“That was before the empire,” Jayveh said. “We shouldn’t let old prejudices have a place here.”