Page 4 of Pawns of Fate

“Hector and I have been discussing how we might combine our military forces to clear the monsters, because the crystal mines are located on the islands of solid land in the heart of the southern swamps.”

Hector chimed in with a nasally voice, “Those swamps are full of beasts and monsters. There’s a large population of kelpies and bog octupi. Some folk living on the swamps’ borders have reported seeing lizardmen, selkies, and bunyips.”

Nicholas nodded. He doubted that the villagers had seen any lizardmen. Still, the other creatures Hector listed were concerning and would certainly prevent the mine’s construction.

“Construction of a proper mine is impossible until the monsters are cut down,” Hector added. “We’ll need guards constantly at the site even after the mines are built.”

“The Robsons don’t have a large enough military to deal with the monsters and maintain a continuous guard, so Hector reached out to us,” his father said, toying with the edges of his silvery beard.

It was a familiar mannerism to Nicholas.

His father did it when he was wholly preoccupied with his thoughts.

“Of course, you will be rewarded for your aid with a generous percentage of the profits.” Viscount Robson smiled icily at Nicholas. “But, beyond the obvious contracts, I would like a more permanent sign of the strong relationship between our families.”

Marriage. He wanted a marriage between House Sharp and House Robson to ensure the Sharps wouldn’t simply turn their military upon them as soon as the monsters were cleared from the swamp. It made sense. It would benefit both families if these mines were as vast as the rumors.

Nicholas looked at his father, though he could already guess that his father approved of the idea. It was probably the whole reason they’d attended Luanna’s birthday celebration. This seemed like a deal his father had been secretly cooking for weeks.

Thoughts of marriage hadn’t crossed Nicholas’s mind in ages. He’d been too busy worrying about his younger brother to tend to his own romantic life. But a year had passed since York married Ava. He couldn’t use that as an excuse to avoid pursuing a match anymore.

Nicholas had always anticipated having an arranged marriage.

It was simply how noble families did things.

He didn’t have the romantic notions his brother carried; his soul was just too practical.

He would marry the woman whose family and connections offered the most benefits to the Sharps, and he wouldn’t complain about it.

His father met Nicholas’s gaze and narrowed his blue eyes, now resting his chin on the palm of his hand instead of toying with his facial hair. “What do you think, Nicholas?”

The soft tone in his father’s voice communicated that it was a genuine question.

He’d back out of the arrangement if Nicholas were truly opposed.

Perhaps his father was having second thoughts about tying the Sharps so closely with Hector, given the man’s dubious past. Just meeting him today had thoroughly underwhelmed Nicholas. Hector was a weasel.

The problem was that if the Sharps didn’t take advantage of this deal, another family would.

The wealth, influence, and power that these mines were sure to provide weren’t something to be left to chance.

Who knew what allies would come out of the woodwork when Hector waved this opportunity in front of them?

“I think,” Nicholas paused, choosing his next words with the utmost care, “I’m a little surprised, but certainly not opposed to strengthening the bonds between the Sharps and Robsons.”

Hector and his father exchanged satisfied smiles.

Nicholas felt like someone had dropped a rock into his stomach.

He’d told his first lie of the day, because truthfully, he was very opposed to marrying the most likely candidate, Hector’s daughter Luanna.

He had met Luanna on a few occasions. She’d come across as vain and immature.

Part of that was because she was nine years his junior, which was the fact that Nicholas hated the most about this situation.

Part of it was her reputation. York had always spoken poorly of Luanna and her brother Hermes when they were younger.

The siblings had ruined more than one children’s party with their temper tantrums.

The thought of Rose comforting his troublesome sister-in-law came to mind.

Perhaps he wouldn’t have any qualms about marrying Hector’s niece.

A marriage with Rose would still solidify their family’s partnership, but perhaps the communion would be more pleasant for him over a lifelong commitment to an immature girl like Luanna.

It was still a gamble. Nicholas didn’t know Rose, not really.

But he’d take one pleasant meeting with Rose over what he knew about Luanna.

“What sort of permanent sign did you have in mind, Viscount?” Nicholas painted a pleasant smile onto his face. He would have to maneuver the negotiations quickly and carefully if he wanted Hector to agree to him marrying Rose instead of Luanna.

“Marriage, my boy!” Hector folded his hands over his generous stomach. “Marriage.”

Nicholas decided to play his only cards: willful ignorance and surprise.

“That’s a wonderful idea, Viscount. I’ve met your niece. She is a graceful and elegant lady. I believe she’s close in age to me, too. I would certainly be interested in making her the next marchioness of House Sharp,” Nicholas said coolly.

Hector blinked a few times, lost for words.

“Nicholas, we talked about your marriage to Luanna, not Rose,” his father said, trying to salvage the situation.

“My apologies. I heard rumors that you loved Rose like your own daughter, even though she is your niece. Since she’s a bit older than Luanna, I assumed you would be delighted to have her marry into the Sharp family. Unless I’m not a good enough match for her?”

Nicholas barely kept his pleasant smile from turning into a satisfied smirk. Hector could not deny his words without insulting the Sharp family or exposing how little he cared for his niece. He’d backed the weasel into a corner.

“Of course, you are a good enough match for Rose,” the viscount admitted, even as he saw the trap Nicholas had laid.

“Then I would like to marry Rose.” Nicholas gave a slight, apologetic nod to the older men.

“I do not have anything against Luanna, but I had the chance to meet Rose at the party, and I found her captivating. I probably would have attempted to court her if this marriage talk hadn’t arisen.

” It was the second lie he’d told that day.

But the more he thought about marrying Rose, the less he felt like someone was putting heavy rocks into his stomach.

He’d make the words true enough, given time.

“Sharp men can be such hopeless romantics, so I ask that you indulge me in this.”

His father and the viscount sat in stunned silence. Neither of them had anticipated this outcome.

“Rose was raised as a commoner in an orphanage for most of her childhood. Are you aware of that?” The viscount threw out a desperate attempt to keep the match for his daughter. As soon as the words left his mouth, regret flashed across his face. He’d made a mistake by belittling Rose’s upbringing.

“My brother’s wife is from a family of restaurateurs. Rose was raised in an orphanage. I fail to see the issue with either woman,” Nicholas replied flatly.

He glanced over to his father, internally begging for his support and trying to communicate it with his eyes. His father’s brows furrowed, and his hand drifted back to his beard as he analyzed the possibility of Nicholas marrying Rose instead of Luanna. After a moment of reflection, he smiled.

“Well, there you have it, Hector.” He chuckled. “As Nicholas said, my boys are romantics. They are stubborn, too! Inherited it from me. We’ll sign the contracts if you give us your niece’s hand in marriage to my son.”

Hector wrung his hands together, his face turning an unbecoming shade of red. “Fine. You have a deal.” Hector sighed as he shook hands with Nicholas and his father. “I just hope you know what you’re getting into with that girl.”

The three men exited the room, and the viscount hastily wandered away, harassing a few servants as he went. It pleased Nicholas to see him so irritated at having his plans foiled.

“Nicholas, a word,” his father commanded.

He signaled for Nicholas to step into a quiet tea room, as far from prying eyes and ears as possible.

“Are you really interested in Rose Robson? Or did you play that little game solely to piss off Hector Robson?” his father said in an annoyed tone as he closed the door to the room.

“I would never play silly games for the sole purpose of pissing off old men, Father.”

His father pinched the bridge of his nose, the light of the sun reflecting on the golden threads in his tunic. “That complicates things. Surely, you’ve realized that we can’t send our militia to the swamps until our business with the Ojoh is cleared up.”

“The star crystal mine is that large? We can’t just send them a few dozen soldiers and be done with it?”

A serpentine voice behind him said, “It’s likely to be the largest star crystal mine in history.”

Nicholas whirled around to see Syzman, his family’s hired shadow mage, standing in the corner of the room, leafing through a book with a bored expression. Tendrils of darkness pooled at his feet, swirling in a pattern most unnatural for shadows. He must have just arrived.

“I didn’t think you were here, Sy. I thought you were on a mission,” Nicholas replied.

“I was on a mission. Your father asked me to confirm the viscount’s claims, so I spent the past few days exploring those wretched swamps east of here.” Syzman pulled a small stone from his pocket and tossed it at Nicholas. “There are many things in that mud, but this is the most interesting.”