Page 38 of Fall of Ruin and Wrath

A part of me did too.

But I still couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty and . . . I glanced at Grady. And like a weight around the necks of those I cared for.

“I’m annoyed, though.”

I returned my attention to her, offering my glass of wine. “With what?”

“That Grady is here,” she said, taking the glass and finishing it off before placing it on the small end table by the couch. “Which means unless I want to see him pass out from the horror of seeing you come, I won’t get to really play.”

A strangled laugh left me. “He absolutely would pass out.”

“He’s such a bore.” Her chin dipped and she pressed a kiss to the curve of my shoulder.

“He’s really not.” My gaze swept over the chamber— over those talking, drinking, and eating, and those who were using their hands and mouths for other things. “I would be equally horrified to see him in the throes of lust.”

“I know. I’m just being petty because I must behave myself.” Pouting, she ran her fingers back over my stomach. “But in case you are curious about what he’s like in the throes of lust, all you need to do is ask me— ”

“Please stop.” My nose wrinkled. “Because I really don’t want to ever know what that looks like.”

“You both are as boring as Laurelin.” Naomi’s laugh faded.

My heart ached. “How is your sister?”

“A little better.”

I could tell her the truth about what lay in store for Laurelin past the fever, but I didn’t want Naomi’s relief at Laurelin’s improvement to be taken from her. And I was also selfish. I didn’t want to be the one to take that relief from her. “I’m sorry. I don’t know if I said that before, but I’m sorry for what she’s going through— what you’re going through.”

“Thank you.”

I nodded, staying silent while Naomi likely quieted those thoughts and emotions surrounding her sister. My gaze swept over the chamber, landing on Claude. Allyson was still in his lap, those around him continued to laugh and chat, but he was silent, his expression pinched as he stared at something only he could see.

“I think something’s going on with him,” Naomi said quietly, having followed my gaze. “Claude.”

“Really?” When she nodded, I asked, “Why do you think something’s going on?”

Her nails scraped over the thin material of the bodice, causing my back to arch. “I’m not sure.” She lowered her head, resting her chin on my shoulder. “But he’s been acting off— nervous and morose one moment and then overly joyful— and he’s been drinking a lot more of late.”

“That I’ve noticed.” I thought of his question this early afternoon. “You heard about what happened in the city last night?”

“Yes. Terrible news.” She shuddered. “But he’s been acting differently for weeks.”

“This is recent too, but there was news— ” My breath caught as she toyed with the peak of my breast. My own fingers pressed into the cushion of the couch in front of me. “You have a very skewed view of behaving yourself.”

“I do?” She winked at me. “You were saying?”

I shook my head at her. “I was saying there has been news concerning the Westlands.”

“What?” she asked, and as I told her what Ramsey had said, she slid her hand from my now far too sensitive breast. “What in the world could be causing this? Why would a princess turn against the King?”

“I don’t know,” I murmured. I hadn’t paid much attention to Hyhborn politics. Most of us lowborn didn’t, since it rarely impacted us, but that . . . that was changing, wasn’t it?

“King Euros has to do something about it,” Naomi mused. “Don’t you think?”

“The Iron Knights are suspected of being responsible for the raids along the border, right? And if that is true, that means they are doing so on the orders of the Princess of Visalia, but the King hasn’t done anything about the raids, so . . .”

“True.” She paused. “He’s a bastard.”

My shoulders shook with laugher. “I’m pretty sure all of those who are in power are bastards.”