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To Ria’s mind, it sounded fair, but if the surge in Toren’s magic was anything to go by, the High King disagreed. Fortunately for Tes, he had no time to argue. Sir Macoe stiffened a moment before he raised his hand for the kings’ attention.

“Forgive me, Your Majesties.” Sir Macoe cleared his throat. “According to my sentries, Lord Aony is entering the outer gates.”

It seemed it was time to get into position.

Chapter35

Illumination

As soon as the door to the secret passage closed behind Ria, the princess, and Sir Macoe, Mehl spun to face Toren. Exhaustion and worry lined his husband’s face, but only for a moment. Already, Toren was slipping into his role as High King, and by the time Mehl formulated what he wanted to say, all hint of emotion had disappeared from his husband’s regard.

“This could turn bad,” Mehl said. “We both know it’s not a coincidence that Lord Aony was on his way here with a body not long after we caught the princess. Even if he’s unaware of her capture, he has a plan.”

Toren nodded. “I would wager Ber is involved, whatever it is. Princess Tes appears to be truly convinced that my brother was nearby and would come for her. I’ll be curious to learn whether Lord Aony has the same belief.”

Mehl didn’t want to say what Toren was no doubt beginning to suspect—Ber had used Tes and would be happy to dispose of her, even pregnant. For if they had married, then Tes was all that stood between Ber and the throne of Centoi. King Ryenil would have no other heir but his daughter’s husband if said daughter died.

No matter what Toren claimed, he still held a sliver of hope that he was wrong about his brother. It would be difficult indeed to believe Ber capable of such a foul plot. And if Ber actually attempted to murder Tes? The thought of the grief that would cause Toren filled Mehl with dread, and he couldn’t stop himself from giving his husband a quick kiss before turning toward the door.

“What was that for?” Toren asked at his side.

Mehl didn’t dare glance over, lest his husband see the worry reflected in his eyes. “Merely a moment’s joy before yet another unpleasant meeting.”

They exited into the hallway before Toren could question him further, and then they were no longer alone. Directly across from the door, the healer waited, and at the sight of them, a frown creased the man’s brow. It seemed he’d taken them seriously about waiting outside for the princess.

“Pardon me, Your Majesties, but if you have finished speaking to my patient—”

“She remains here until our return, Vesset,” Toren said, his tone implacable.

Toren continued toward the throne room, but Mehl halted in front of the healer. “Do not enter without our express permission or unless requested by Sir Macoe,” Mehl said. The healer flushed, but he nodded. “And Vesset? I would like to know how you missed the lady’s pregnancy during her first examination.”

“It was shielded from my sight,” the healer replied. “The energy required for the oath-binding must have dissipated the shield. I suspect she’d been using most of her personal magic to maintain it.”

“An interesting possibility.” Mehl smiled, an acknowledgement rather than a sign of pleasure. “Thank you.”

As Mehl hurried after Toren, his uneasy suspicion began to congeal into certainty. The pregnancy had been intended to remain a secret, but Tes herself had clearly known. With her unswerving faith in Ber, she’d likely told him, too. And still, he’d left her here. Whatever Ber was up to, it was very, very wrong.

Ifshe’d been abandoned, of course. Lord Aony could be intending some type of rescue. There was even a chance that the messenger had been wrong about Ber’s whereabouts. With that unpleasant possibility in mind, Mehl sent a few additional orders to Sir Macoe.

It was paramount that Ria and even Tes were protected from the wayward prince.

* * *

Toren resistedthe urge to rub his fingers against the worn armrest of his throne as a handful of courtiers trickled into the room. Unfortunately, the smooth stone was the only thing potentially soothing at the moment. He and Mehl hadn’t been here long enough for the stone to warm, and for a fleeting moment, Toren wished for the simpler wooden thrones in the secondary receiving chamber where they’d first taken Ria.

Of course, he would have been forced to hide an altogether different discomfort with those memories running through his head. Toren directed his thoughts away from that at once. He could not afford distractions. Lord Aony was not arriving with the intention of being questioned. The man had to know that Tes was missing from his group, and his planned return suggested a duplicity that bore watching.

Would the Duke of Aony accuse Toren of abducting the Centoi princess? Pretend the woman had never existed? What? At this point, Toren had to brace himself for anything. And from the stiff stance and uneasy glances of the Centoi messenger where he waited to the right of the dais, there was likely good reason.

If Toren had time, he would endeavor to discover what the messenger was expecting.

Mehl gave him a mental nudge.“Send me some of your energy, beloved. I can handle it.”

Toren tensed at the comment. Gods, his power had heightened, hadn’t it? Rather than a surge, the energy had built slowly until he’d barely noticed how it pounded against his shields. It was under control despite the increase, but the level was dangerous with Lord Aony still to confront.

“I didn’t notice,”Toren replied.“Thank you.”

Gently, he channeled the excess through the link to his husband. As the pressure waned, relief deflated the strain he hadn’t been aware of. Not for the first time, he wondered why. Why did he hold such a well of power so intense he couldn’t even use it? Was it a curse—or a misunderstood blessing? The head of the mages hadn’t been able to explain the phenomenon.