Page 39 of The Throne Seeker

Grant smirked, his sparkly white teeth practically glowing in the dim light. “You know, you aren’t what I thought you’d be.”

She kept her eyes on the blooms, running her fingers over the velvety petals. “What do you mean?”

“I thought I’d have trouble liking a girl like you.”

Her eyebrows rose. “A girl like me?”

“Gorgeous girls with money, genes, and status like you are usually a bit more… pretentious. I admit that this is what I believed you to be from the first time I saw you. But you possess quite a charm about you. So much so that you’ve won over not only the king’s favor, but, dare I say, his affection as well. That speech at the ball had everyone reeling. You have all the cards laid out in your favor, and you still have a humble aura. It’s quite the breath of fresh air. It’s as if you…” He drifted off.

She cocked her head, curious. “If I what?”

His eyes hung onto hers. “It’s as if you’re too good to be true.”

She shifted, letting the shadows hide her face before he could see the flicker of shame. If only he knew she didn’t have two gold coins to rub together. He wouldn’t be so keen on her then.

Still, his flattering words chipped away at her defenses.

“You make me sound like a rare gem,” she teased, flipping her hair with a coy smile. “So tell me, do you think I’m a master manipulator like the rest of them?”

“No, though youhavedone extremely well for someone like yourself. Worming your way into the affection of the king was brilliant. But knowing your mother, I think the effort was more on her part than yours. Just look at you, an upper-middle-class House being nominated for the throne. So tell me, are you going to accept the nomination?”

She fiddled with her fingers. “I haven’t decided.”

Grant sidestepped, cutting her off mid-stride. She looked up to find a fire burning in his eyes. “If you are, I suggest you weigh your options before putting all your eggs in one basket. Tristan isn’t the only player in this game, and personally, I’d rather see you and I as allies than enemies. I want you to wear the same colors as me at the rally.”

His bold request took her by surprise. If she did what he asked, it would mean she’d be wearing the same colored dress as his tunic, implying an alliance, not only for the rally but for the entire succession. Alliances in past successions weren’t common, but they had proven to be effective when made carefully.

The longer she searched his eyes, the more she began to piece together his true intentions. Grant knew that if she chose to enter, she and Tristan would become a force to be reckoned with, and he was looking for a way to stop it.

And getting under Tristan’s skin would be an added bonus.

She bit her lip to refrain from saying something she’d regret. “You know I can’t do that.”

He tilted his head, trying to catch her eye. “Why, pray tell?”

Her eyes sharpened in defiance. “I’m not going to be used as a pawn in this game by you or anyone else. If you want to win the succession, you’ll have to find another way.”

A dangerous smile crossed his lips. “I see. Well, it was worth a shot. Like I said, I can’t be mad at your loyalty. But soon, I think you might find yourself switching teams, especially when Tristan starts to crumble. It will happen sooner or later during this succession, I promise you.”

A molten fire grew inside her, but her etiquette kicked in as she managed to keep her mask on.All avenues open, her mother’s words rang in her mind. “I think you’re underestimating him.”

He didn’t look the least bit bothered. “Perhaps, but I’ve known Tristan his entire life. He’s not level-headed like Xavier—well, the old Xavier. He has more to lose, which means he has more weaknesses.Andhe has one the whole province can see, and I’m staring at it right now… He’d better tread carefully, or the throne won’t be the only thing he’ll lose.”

She wanted to lash back and deny the claim, but she held her tongue, choosing not to take his bait.

Instead, she changed the subject, directing her attention to a large, closed bud. “Are you familiar with the lunar flower?”

The evasion didn’t faze Grant as he approached the flower with her. “No. Should I be?”

She shrugged. “You might want to be. It does have quite useful healing properties. It’s a moonflower.”

Grant lifted an eyebrow in question.

“It means it only blooms in darkness,” she explained, using the torch snuffer on the side of the path to extinguish the nearest torches. After a brief moment, as complete darkness crept upon the petals, the fist-sized bud opened, exposing its midnight-blue and purple petals.

She pointed to the whitish-yellow pistil at the center. “If you boil these with water and drink it, it will help reduce swelling around a wound and ease the pain. I used it a lot when I helped in the medical tents last summer.” She glanced up to find Grant wasn’t looking at the flower.

His eyes flickered with surprise. “You helped in the medical tents?”