Page 24 of Embrace the Serpent
But I didn’t know what he would do. If I looked at him, I was sure I’d see him mentally weighing the scales. Weighing me. If I was worth it.
My mouth was sour with bile. I managed to say, “I won’t go back.”
Galen’s hands found my arms, and I stiffened. “I wouldn’t give you up,” he said. “You must know that. The gods gave you to me, and I don’t take that lightly. And it doesn’t matter, really. We’ll just have to do it at once. Not ideal, of course, but you already have your dress, and Brother Feredin owes me a favor. He’ll come.”
My mind turned this over very, very slowly. “I—I don’t understand.”
“The law is clear,” Galen explained. “Once a ward is wed, legallythey’re part of their spouse’s family. The Emperor’s claim ends. You’ll be safe.”
My ears rang. “You want me... to get married?”
His lips curved in a stilted smile. “I’m sorry it took me so long to notice that you’re quite grown now. But of course, you should have a right to the workshop and my money—our money. We’re a team.”
I met his eyes. “You want me to marry... you?”
A flicker of annoyance. “Goodness, Saphira, don’t act like we haven’t discussed it. If this is about that man, forget him. What can he offer you? I know you. You want to live like a princess in a tower, away from everyone. I’ve given you that. I’ll keep giving you that. That’s what you want, isn’t it?”
My head spun. Discussed it? What had Galen been chattering about these past days, when he’d hovered over me? And what man—did he mean Rane?
In his eyes was an absolute certainty that what he was saying made perfect sense. That it was reasonable, even. “Don’t worry anymore. Everything will be fixed.”
And nothing would have to change.That’s what you want, isn’t it?
I shook out the lilac dress. Thin scraps of fabric floated down, scraps the dressmaker had placed between its folds so the embroidery wouldn’t catch. It was so stiff with embroidery that, when I fanned out the skirts and straightened the bodice, the dress stood up on its own. It hardly needed me in it.
Oh, horsepiss. Now that I was paying attention, it was obviously too fine to be anything but a wedding dress.
I’d had warning. If I’d just paid attention.
My stomach heaved, and I pinched my nose until the feeling went away.
Galen was right. This solved all our problems.
My hands shook. I lay down on my bed and counted my breaths. One... two...
Maybenotbreathing was the answer. I flipped around and buried my head in my pillow. Something rustled under me.
I drew it out. It was Rane’s card, only a little crumpled. A tiny hope rose in me, like catching a glimmer of a distant candle in the middle of a dark night. I didn’t need to marry Galen if I just... ran away again? Told Rane the truth about my jewelsmithing? Told him I could do the job? And then what? Once that job was done, I’d be without a home and with no protection against Lady Incarnadine.
It didn’t make sense. Galen’s plan made sense.
But by the gods, I didn’t want to marry him.
A heavy tread came up the steps and then a hesitant knock came at my door. Grimney squeezed himself through the doorframe.
“How do we get out of this?” I asked him.
All the world seemed so small suddenly. My room was so small. The worktable that I adored, my collection of stuff, all of it. If I married Galen, I could keep it. He would save me from Lady Incarnadine. But I—
Downstairs, the door banged open, and Galen’s voice was joined by others.
I whispered to Grimney, “I won’t do it. I won’t.”
Footfalls sounded on the stairs, and then Galen stood in mydoorway. He was wearing a long jacket and trousers in ivory, with embroidery that perfectly matched the lilac dress. “Why aren’t you dressed?”
The words came out of me with no planning, no way for me to soften them. “I don’t want to get married.”
He shut the door behind him. “Enough nonsense, Saphira. It’s all been decided, everything is ready, the priest is waiting at the temple. Take that off and put this on. You know how much it cost? There are noblewomen who don’t have dresses as nice as this.” He held out the lilac dress.
