me like I’m royalty, Captain. As in … don’t speak to me at all.”
Wolfe stiffened at my insults, his face taut with anger. Our dislike was definitely, definitely mutual. “If you want to make this about rank, Rogan—”
I flinched at his use of my given name. He’d never called me Rogan before. Not to my face, anyway. It had always been my lady, despite my lack of nobility.
“May I remind you that I’m the one with lord before my name? Don’t speak to me like I’m dirt beneath your shoe.”
Arrogant beast. I shook my head. Just like his demon father. I laughed humorlessly, a cold, brittle laugh that caused him to wince. “You don’t need to remind me who you are, Vikomt Stovia.” With that, I veered from him, pushing through the crowds to escape him. I glanced back to make sure he did not follow. He didn’t, but he lifted his chin in someone else’s direction. It was an order.
Within seconds, Lieutenant Chaeron had pushed through the crowds to be at my side, his hand on the hilt of his sword.
My first impulse was to be aggravated and suffocated by his presence, but then I recalled Jarvis’s words of warning. There was a reason behind Haydyn’s idea for a ball. Quite suddenly, I was glad for our trained Guard. We had never needed them before.
But then there had never been crime in civilized Phaedra before.
Chapter 4
“What about Matai, Haydyn?” I hissed, knowing he stood outside her bedroom suite.
She glanced worriedly at the door. “Please, keep your voice down, Rogan.”
I bit my lip against a tirade. I was so mad at her. I wanted her to wake up! My head swam with all Ava and Jarvis had informed us.
That morning, Haydyn had been called to the Chambers to speak with Jarvis and Ava: Last night, Wolfe’s men had returned … and they hadn’t returned bearing good news.
“So … it’s all true?” Haydyn had asked as she sat clutching my hand tight in hers. I ignored the stinging pain of her long nails digging into my skin and tried to squeeze her hand in reassurance.
Jarvis nodded. He seemed to have aged a decade since we saw him but a few weeks before. “All three complaints proved true. Javinia is in unrest, and it seems rumor of the unrest is spreading through Sabithia. Alvernia is worsening. Even the Valley grows more uncivilized. Apparently, Arrana is the only civilized city left in the province. And as for the rookery in Vasterya … well, it does exist.”
Haydyn grew tense beside me, her young eyes round and fearful. “What do we do?”
Ava and Jarvis shared a look.
It was I who questioned it.
“Well.” Jarvis cleared his throat. “Of course, we should send reinforcements into Javinia, and someone should speak with Markiz Solom Rada in Pharya—he needs to send his guard out to police the rookery. It’s unfathomable that he hasn’t already.”
“Is it?” Ava murmured. It appeared Ava and I shared the same opinion of Markiz Solom.
He was my least favorite of the Rada. Spoiled, entitled, weak.
“What about Alvernia?” I queried.
Again, they exchanged a nervous glance.
Ava attempted to smile brightly. “We have a wonderful suggestion.”
My intuition told me it wasn’t that wonderful. “Suggest it, then.”
“Rogan,” Haydyn admonished.
Seeming unconcerned with my attitude, Jarvis leaned forward across the table, his eyes all grandfatherly and wise as he focused his attention on Haydyn. “You are of an age now, Princezna, and it’s time to discuss the possibility of you marrying and carrying on the Dyzvati line.”
I sucked in a breath, feeling Haydyn stiffen under my touch. “She’s not a broodmare.”
Jarvis flinched at my tone and narrowed his eyes on me. “I suggest no such thing, Rogan. Please dispense with the attitude.”
“Rogan, please.” Haydyn patted my hand. “His Grace is right. I am of age.”
As I watched Ava and Jarvis share pleased looks, I just knew deep in the pit of my stomach what they wanted of her. “You want a match with Alvernia.”
They seemed shocked at my deduction and Jarvis shifted nervously for a moment. Vaguely, I noted Matai stiffen at the door.
Jarvis held Haydyn’s gaze. “We think you might want to consider a betrothal between Your Highness and Markiz Andrei of Alvernia—son of Vojvoda Andrei Rada. It would greatly improve relations between the two provinces and would be an excellent start toward civilizing the north.”
Haydyn turned pale at the suggestion. She looked at me and winced at what she saw in my expression. Then she threw back her shoulders,