Chapter 190
An apple sat in the windowsill in the library. Kit noticed it when she came back from her ride with Reeve. She’d had to hurry to get ready for dinner because it had taken longer than expected to find her way back out of the forest and to the castle, but she had seen the red fruit sitting there and knew that Blankka had fulfilled her mission.
Either that, or this was all a set up, and Blankka was truly still loyal to the queen. She’d find out soon enough.
Dinner was full of the same nonsense as always, although her mother did seem excited about the archery competition the next day. She’d wondered aloud if Jaterius would be the winner in this official match or if one of the other Representatives would find a way to best him. “It was a close contest last time.”
“Yes, but Eliason was not part of that match,” Grandmother Junno noted.
Instantly, Rona’s nose wrinkled. “As far as I remember, he’s never been so skilled with a bow and arrow. I doubt he’ll be of any consequence.”
Kit kept her mouth closed on the subject. It didn’t matter to her who won, so long as it wasn’t Pierce. It was difficult to think of a way one could cheat in an archery contest, but she figured if there was a way to do so, Pierce would find it—with her mother’s assistance.
“Who have you invited to your chambers this evening?” her mother asked, taking a bite of beef.
“Danyen.” It was a one word answer, one that should suffice.
“Again? Hasn’t he just pleasured you, not long ago?” Rona set her fork aside and took a drink of her blood red wine.
Kit wasn’t about to tell her mother how many others she’d been with since she’d shared her bed with Danyen. “Drake was last. I’m trying to get to know some of the others, Mother. I should like to make my last selections soon so that we can get on with things.”
Her mother studied her for a moment before turning her head back to her dinner plate. “I don’t understand you, child. I have presented you with a fine young man, one who would serve you well. It’s as if you feel I have nothing to offer from my years as ruler of this magnificent realm.”
So many responses jumped to mind. Why would Kit take any advice about marriage from a woman who loathed her husband so much she banished him to his chambers? She bit her tongue. “Pierce is nice enough, my Queen, but I’m afraid he’s not for me.”
“Well, if he should win the archery contest tomorrow, you will have little choice.”
“It is my Choosing, Mother. I always have a choice.”
It may have been a step too far. The queen turned and looked at her, eyes narrowed. “You shall stand by our declaration and honor it. Once it’s been announced that the winner of the archery contest shall share your bed, you cannot take it back.”
“Then perhaps we should not make that announcement.”
The queen’s expression somehow grew even more irate. Kit looked away from her and happened to catch Eli’s eye. He shook his head so slowly, it was almost undetectable. She knew exactly what he was telling her, though. It wasn’t worth causing a fiasco over, not when she didn’t even know for sure that Pierce would win. If he did, they’d deal with it then.
“You will do as I say,” Rona began, and Kit’s head whipped back around to face her. “I am still the queen and shall be for many years to come.”
Once again, Kit found herself biting her tongue. She took a deep breath. “Yes, Mother.”
At the very least, the confrontation had the effect of ending any further conversation between Kit and her mother for the evening. The queen didn’t even bid her good night when she left the room. Kit tried not to dwell on the fact that the woman was her mother and should be her champion. After all of these years of rejection, she should know not to expect anything different from Rona.
After her mother and her entourage were gone, Kit finished her dessert in peace. She didn’t care that the only other people left at the head table were her three ladies, and they were all the way down at the far end. The pudding was delicious, and she was eating every bite.
Kit set down her fork and wiped her mouth, looking out at a crowd of smiling faces. They’d all been watching her and apparently found her insistence on cleaning her plate amusing. Setting her napkin aside, she rose, accompanied by a trumpet blast that rattled her bones.
Danyen met her at the door, and she took his arm, but before they got too far down the hallway, Eli was at her other side. She knew what he was going to say before he even opened his mouth, and she couldn’t blame him.
“You have to be more careful, Kit.”
“I know.”
“She realizes we are up to something, she just can’t put her finger on it. And we don’t want her to do any more investigating than she already has.”
“You’re right. I’ll try to control my tongue.”
He nodded and was quiet for a few steps. Kit glanced at Danyen, but he seemed content to let Eli say his piece. Eventually, Eli asked, “Do you mind telling me what you were arguing about?”
Kit honestly didn’t want to go over the conversation again, but she felt he had a right to know, and Danyen might need to as well since it involved Pierce. “The queen was trying to force Pierce on me again and mentioned if he won the archery contest I’d have no choice but to invite him. I said I always had a choice, which is what agitated her. I said perhaps we shouldn’t announce that I will be bedding the winner, and she grew even angrier and demanded I do what she says since she will be the queen for many years to come.”
“I can see why that would be upsetting. Just try to agree with her when you can, Kit. We’ll take care of Pierce.”
She caught his eyes and understood she really had been worrying for no reason. “I will try to be more careful.”
He nodded and went ahead of them, having said all he needed to for now. Kit hoped she could keep that promise. Something told her that all depended upon whether or not she discovered exactly what Pierce was up to.
