The Betrothed (The Betrothed #1) - Kiera Cass Page 0,48

I supposed the people had never seen this smile.

“This is the nicest thing anyone has done for me in a long time,” she said, basking in the sun. “Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome. Come visit anytime you feel the slightest bit peckish.”

When she giggled, the sound flew high and danced in the trees.

“Valentina!” King Quinten snapped, motioning to his bow, as if her laughter was interrupting something of the highest importance. That bright smile disappeared in an instant, and all the light around her died. She demurely nodded her head, then picked up a pie to cover her mouth.

“He’s such a tyrant,” she muttered under her breath. “I swear, if he had the stamina, he’d hunt down joy itself and shoot it through.” A moment later she remembered herself. “Please don’t repeat that.”

I picked up a small pie to obstruct the view of my mouth as well. “Don’t worry. If there’s anything I understand, it’s the value of a certain level of privacy. Mine’s dropped considerably recently, and I can’t imagine yours. I wouldn’t say anything. Besides, I think you’re right. He’s a bit of a grump.”

She pressed her lips together, suppressing her smile. “So, Lady Hollis, what are our plans for tonight?”

I could feel my heart beating fast. Things were really starting to turn around. “King Jameson has recently gifted me with a set of golden dice. I’m trying to learn some games.”

“I’ll bring money. It’s much more fun when there’s something on the line,” she offered, as if this were some piece of great wisdom.

“We can invite our ladies, too, if you’d like.”

She shook her head. “No. I’d like to just be with you.”

I smiled. “Absolutely, Your Majesty.”

At the title she rolled her eyes. “All right, it was fun when I was making you grovel, but you can just call me Valentina now.”

“I can always grovel for old times’ sake if you get bored later.”

She giggled at that, too, but pushed the sound away quickly. I could see King Quinten blow out a huff, but he took his time looking back at us. His eyes glanced off Valentina and swiftly settled on me, and I felt a chill. I may have finally gotten through to her, but I was still little more than an insect to him. I looked away quickly.

I reminded myself I was here to accompany Valentina, and if she was satisfied, I was doing my duty . . . but I knew that once I was queen, there would always be a Quinten in my life. Dignitaries and envoys would come and go, and I would be in the middle of it all, unable to hide. Some would probably like me well enough, but there would always be some who felt satisfied with ignoring me.

I pulled my chin up, and I thought of Valentina. We ladies in our gilded cage, we had to make the best of it.

Nineteen

IT DIDN’T TAKE LONG FOR Valentina to tire, which worked out just fine for me, as I had business of my own to attend to. The parcel was light, and, thanks to the painting outside their rooms that Lady Eastoffe had told me about, I knew where I was heading.

I was technically there to see Scarlet, but there were butterflies plotting a riot in my stomach. I felt too many things at once to know what they truly were. Would Silas be there? Would he try to talk to me? Did I want him to?

The kiss had been a surprise. No, not a surprise, a mistake. Certainly, Silas was easy to talk to, easy to understand. There was an undercurrent of goodness to everything he did, and the way his family so clearly valued each other made me want to be closer to not just him but all of them. And he was his own kind of handsome, with those blue eyes and that angelic smile. Yes, there was something very charming about Silas Eastoffe.

But seeing as he was not Jameson Barclay, it really didn’t matter. Charm wouldn’t give me a crown or bring hope to a kingdom. Charm was nice, not necessary.

I squared myself in front of the door, bracing myself for whatever—and whoever—might be on the other side, and I knocked.

“Lady Hollis! How nice to see you!” Scarlet greeted me, opening the door wide.

“Just the person I was looking for,” I said, ignoring the pang in my heart. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

“Not at all. Please, come in.” She motioned that I should enter, and I